She won a MacArthur Fellowship in 1990 for her endeavor to help with the Native-American communities in northern New Mexico, southern Colorado, and northeastern Arizona to develop economic opportunities and preserve their human rights.
[5] From a young age, Maria Varela has been actively involved in various civil rights movements and organizations, from the Young Christian Student (YCS) program to Latinx Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which sets a foundation for her later work in the Civil Rights movement and in helping Native-American and Mexican-American communities[6] She helped organize rural development[7] and find Tierra Wools co-op.
[4] She was also photographer for Black Star (photo agency) that works to include African-American representations for voters education, capturing critical moments in the Civil Rights Movement.
[10] Varela recognized the urgent issue of how the images provided for voter education materials excluded African American community and lacked diversity in racial representation.
[12] Varela co-founded Ganados del Valle in 1981, a nonprofit, economic development corporation that primarily helps Latinos and Native-American communities in northern New Mexico, southern Colorado, and northeastern Arizona to preserve their pastoral cultures, lands, and water rights.