In 1941, Mora relocated to Mexico City where he won a scholarship to study at the art school, La Esmeralda, where he was a pupil of Diego Rivera.
[5] During this time, his artistic focus was on social justice; making posters for trade unions and government literacy campaigns.
Other artists involved included Carlos Mérida, Francisco Zúñiga, Pablo O'Higgins and Elizabeth Catlett Mora.
[11] Mora was a founding member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon for Mexican Visual Arts).
[12] In 1947, Mora married renowned African-American artist Elizabeth Catlett, who had moved to Mexico in 1946 and was also working at the Taller de Gráfica Popular.