Maria Varela: Civil Rights Activist Photographer and Representation of Co-liberation
Maria Varela was born on January 1st, 1940, to a Mexican father and an Irish mother. After being raised in several cities around the United States, her family decided to settle in Chicago. In the city, she attended St. Louis Academy where she learned typing, and went on to attend Alverno College in Milwaukee. It was during her time in Chicago that Varela became heavily involved in different social justice groups, specifically the Young Christian Students organization (YCS).