Lineage Reimagined

Though born to unmarried parents in colonial Mexico and adopted into poverty, then later into religious life, Sor Juana claimed a lineage of philosophers, theologians, and poets across centuries and cultures. She positioned herself within the intellectual tradition of Augustine, Aquinas, and the Church Fathers, claiming them as her true family. This practice of intellectual genealogy-making offers a powerful model for adopted individuals: you can actively construct your lineage by choosing which traditions, mentors, thinkers, and examples will shape your identity. Rather than passively receiving ancestry, you recognize that all identity is partially chosen—you select which influences become constitutive. This reimagining doesn't erase biological or adoptive family, but it contextualizes them as one source among many. Sor Juana's strategy teaches that the most authentic lineage is the one you consciously assemble from available resources, claiming what nourishes you.