Patrimony as Communal Inheritance, Not Extraction

The term 'patrimony'—from patria, fatherland—traditionally meant inherited wealth and property. Sor Juana's work suggests a radical redefinition: what we inherit from previous generations (knowledge, languages, ecosystems, cultures) is not ours to exploit but to steward for those coming after. This directly counters the extractive logic driving climate crisis—where nature appears as infinite capital to convert into profit. Indigenous philosophies, which Sor Juana's Mexico intersected with, embody this patrimony concept: land, water, and biodiversity are gifts from ancestors to be returned responsibly to descendants. Climate justice requires adopting this framework globally: viewing the atmosphere, oceans, and forests as patrimony held in common trust rather than resources for sale. This transforms climate action from optional charity into filial duty—we are bound to those who preceded us and those who will follow to maintain the conditions of life itself.