She is best known for her involvement in the 1970 student boycotts in Houston, coordinating the huelga schools and for co-founding Las Hermanas.
[4] After taking vows, Gallardo began to work what was considered a "rough" part of town, Alazán-Apache Courts in San Antonio.
[6] In 1969, she was asked to come to Houston to work as the interim director of the Mexican American Education Council (MAEC).
[7] In this capacity, she helped support student boycotts against unfair policies, protested and spoke publicly for MAEC.
[11] Gallardo and Ortega then worked together to invite Mexican American nuns to create an organization for Spanish speaking religious women in April 1971.