Stay in Touch!
We are currently donating groups of these paintings to museums and universities throughout the United States. We encourage interested curators to contact us about possible acquisitions. Note that the paintings are not for sale to individuals.
We also encourage requests for permission to use these images in articles and books. We ask for a small royalty, which will go to the artist.
Please contact us at:
Rita E. Moran, Director
Maya Woman: The Helen Moran Collection
Paintings copyright © Rita E. Moran 2008-2025. All rights are reserved.
The Call, by Juanita López
Rita E. Moran, M.A. - Director and Curator
Rita is the founder and Director of Maya Woman: The Helen Moran Collection. She was thrilled and intrigued at first sight by the vision of contemporary Maya artists of Guatemala. In 2007 she created the Collection to spotlight their work, and promote dignity and human rights for Indigenous and Latina women, and immigrants to the United States. Rita has supported the artists for many years, and curated exhibitions at colleges, libraries, and community centers throughout the country.
For 15 years Rita taught English to Latino/a and Indigenous immigrants at City College of San Francisco and Cesar Chavez School. In 2011 she was a member of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission’s delegation investigating violence against women. She earned her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, and her M.A. from San Francisco State University.
With her dear friend and former student Milagros Vela, Rita has collaborated on the forthcoming memoir, Walking Through Wars: A Salvadoran Woman Tells Her Story of the Devil and God, Bitterness and Hope.
Malachy Moran - Director of Marketing
Malachy is currently leading efforts to find new homes for the paintings in museums and universities throughout the United States. For over 30 years Malachy has been active in promoting social causes. He is the Executive Director of New World Villages (NWV), a nonprofit organization that he founded in 2006. NWV works with Indigenous peoples in Central America to improve their lives in the areas of healthcare, education, and sustainable farming. From 2016-2018 he served with the Peace Corps in North Africa working in the area of Youth Development.
Currently retired from a large, not-for-profit financial services company, Malachy brings a wealth of both marketing and account relationship management to our team. He earned a B.A. In Business Management from St. Mary's College. He also acquired CEBS certification during his working career and has been a board member on numerous nonprofit organizations.
Maureen Bourbin, M.A. - Curator
Maureen joined the Helen Moran Collection as a curator in 2017. She specializes in researching the symbolism in Spanish colonial devotional artwork, and has worked as a consultant, lectured, curated exhibitions, and published articles on the subject. Maureen currently serves on the Advisory Board of Groundswell at City College of San Francisco. Former Board service includes the Board of Cultural Connections, the California Mission Studies Association, the Museum Studies Special Interest Group of San Francisco State University, and the Treasure Island Museum Association. Maureen received her M.A. in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University.
Catherine Weir - Assistant Curator
Catherine joined the Collection in 2023, helping to catalog and conserve the artworks. She is currently a student at San Francisco State University with a special interest in culture, language, and international peacekeeping. Catherine is also Project Coordinator with New World Villages, a nonprofit organization. She has volunteered with doctors and nurses in Guatemala to help bring healthcare access to to Maya communities, and has helped erect communication towers to connect Maya villages with local hospitals.
