She gained recognition through the publishing of her many plays, prose, and poetry depicting the lives and plight of Chicana women in male-dominated societies.
[3] The historical play Sor Juana reconsiders the double standards that the 17th century nun faced and reimagines her life from a feminist perspective.
[7] Later in her career, she attained second place in the 1985 New York Shakespeare Festival's Hispanic American playwright's competition for her play Black Light.
[1] Portillo-Trambley's works and biographical materials are currently archived in the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas.
Included in the archive are samples of plays, prose, poetry, and other reviews, critical essays, and notes about Portillo-Trambley's work, and an interview by Juan Bruce-Novoa.