Epistemic Justice and Witness

Sor Juana's work demanded to be witnessed—her knowledge, her insights, her right to interpret Scripture and philosophy. Epistemic justice addresses how privilege operates through credibility: whose knowledge counts? Whose testimony is believed? Sor Juana faced constant skepticism about her learning's authenticity; her gender made her claims suspect. This concept, developed through her struggle, asks practitioners to examine credibility gaps in their own contexts. Who do we believe without evidence? Whose stories do we demand proof for? Acknowledgment of privilege requires becoming a witness—genuinely crediting others' knowledge and expertise, especially in areas where they hold lived authority. It means actively countering the patterns that make certain people systematically discredited. It's not performative agreement but deep structural change in how we validate what others know and have experienced.