Johnamarie Macias, a bubbly 29-year-old Puerto Rico native who's grounded herself in New York City, is never seen without a smile that gleams as bright as the twin suns of Tatooine and has a sweet soul full of passion for Star Wars.
"Star Wars, to me, is imagination at its best. One person dreamed up a galaxy, took us along for the ride and the ride just keeps on going. It’s an escape to a far-off place filled with unlimited possibilities where an ordinary person, whether they’re a farm boy or a scavenger, can change the galaxy," remarks Macias.
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| Captain Rex from Star Wars: The Clone Wars captured Macias's heart. |
Introduced to Star Wars at a young age, Macias remembers Star Wars: A New Hope as a classic movie that she would watch whenever it was played on the television. Her mom and uncle were also fans of the franchise, which helped cultivate her interest in the Star Wars universe, but she didn't find a true passion for the saga
until a little later in life.
"It wasn’t until the prequel films and the debut of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars feature film in theaters that I found myself back in the galaxy far, far away," says Macias.
She found herself attracted to Star Wars because it opened up her imagination as a child and continues to inspire her to dream up her own stories today. Macias notes that she was never great at verbally communicating her thoughts while growing up, but her involvement in the Star Wars podcasting community has helped her feel more comfortable in voicing her opinions out loud.
Macias uses her website called The Wookiee Gunner as a platform to write about her favorite aspects of Star Wars. She's also involved in three different collaborative podcasts: Rebels Chat, Galactic Fashion, and Hangin' with Team Kanan.
