Entry by Mary Ann Ceron: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695)

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th century nun, self-taught scholar and acclaimed writer of the Latin American colonial period and the Hispanic Baroque. Born on November 12, 1651, out of wedlock, in San Miguel Nepantla, Tepetlixpa – near Mexico City, when Mexico was a Spanish territory. I really like this photo of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz because it was during her teen years that her work was acknowledged. She began her life as a nun in 1667 so that she could study at will. After taking her vows, Sor Juana read tirelessly and wrote plays and poetry. She challenged societal values and became an early proponent of women's rights. Sor Juana is heralded for her Respuesta a Sor Filotea, which defends women's rights to educational access, and is credited as the first published feminist of the New World. She died in Mexico in 1695.

Author: Mary Ann Ceron