C.J. Macias has been catching waves since he was a kid with his dad on the beaches of South Florida. Now currently located in Hawaii, Macias has been fortunate to surf some of the biggest waves in the world. In 2011 and 2012, Macias had a few setbacks when he injured his rib and disc in his lower back while surfing and playing high-level beach volleyball, respectively. Throughout his healing journey which brought him from India to Bali and Hawaii, he found that all great healing happens from the heart. Macias is involved with the "Waves of Life" project with The McNamara Foundation, which helps at-risk youth strengthen their connection with nature and themselves through the transformational power of surf therapy and community involvement. He is also featured in the latest HBO Max six-part docu-series, "100 Foot Wave," along with American surfer Garrett McNamara. Read on in our interview with Macias to learn more about his healing journey and future projects!

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 43Kaylyn WenzelMay 13, 2022Healing, Healing Journey, Reflection, Surfing, Waves, Athlete, Injury, Hawaii, HBO MaxComment

Editorial - Learning From Isabella Gomez

Isabella Gomez is the star of the new HBO Max comedy series “Head of the Class,” where she plays a young high school teacher looking to shake up the classroom. Gomez is not new to sitcoms, you may also recognize her as Elena Álvarez in the award winning comedy series “One Day at a Time.” At the heart of each show you can find an underlying theme of community and family support, which Gomez believes in wholeheartedly. She is also really attracted to what representation in the media can do for both individuals and whole communities, which can be seen in her two roles. On the charity front, Gomez is involved with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Wild Elements Foundation. Through her partnership with Wild Elements, she was matched with innovator, Rosamira Guillen, who is the executive director at Proyecto Tití in Colombia. Under her leadership, Gomez is fully fully educated on her work in order to bring that information and opportunities to her followers. Read on to learn more about Isabella Gomez, her roles in “Head of the Class” and “One Day at a Time,” upcoming projects, and her charity work.

Audrey Grace Marshall: A Young Star Playing Epic Roles

Audrey Grace Marshall maybe 11 years old, but she has already attracted some pretty interesting roles, playing the young version of Cassie in HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, and also playing a young 'Trish Walker' in the amazing final season of Marvel's Jessica Jones. When she isn’t busy playing the younger versions of epic women, or running around in her New York City life, she is very passionate about helping mature dogs through Susie's Senior Dogs; a nonprofit organization working to bring awareness to the plight of homeless senior dogs. Please read further to learn more about Audrey in our exclusive interview below.