Joana Garcia, SAG-AFTRA member, celebrates a decade of doing what she loves the most: telling stories with passion, purpose, and conviction. At the helm of Voices by Joana Garcia LLC, she has narrated more than 120 audiobooks from nonfiction and parenting to true crime and romance, with her smooth, deep, and velvety voice bringing words to life. With her first decade of voiceover coming to an end, she reflects on the past that shaped her while looking forward to an exciting new era.
As a lifelong storyteller, artistry has always been central to her life. But her journey to exploring it as a career path has been far from linear. Born to a mother with Native American ancestry and a Mexican father, Garcia’s childhood was culturally vibrant, which is evident in her work. The depth and breadth of her voice, however, are also rooted in adversity. Married at 18, she understood too late that her relationship was toxic. To escape, Garcia enlisted in the Navy, setting herself free from an unhealthy environment while learning new skills.
Her energy and resolve were quickly recognized, and Garcia earned a four-year Navy scholarship to pursue higher education. After graduation, she was stationed in California as a US Navy Officer, returning to the same place where her father started his American Dream journey. “One day I found myself driving through a strawberry field, knowing that this is where he used to work,” she reminisces. “There I was, 20-something years later, standing on the same fields that tested his perseverance. I knew I had found my strength because of him. It felt like a truly full-circle moment.”
When Garcia retired from the Navy, these prolific experiences illuminated her next steps: running for office and becoming a catalyst for positive change in local politics. As a member of The Nursing and Veterans Boards for the State of Virginia, she would spend a significant amount of time commuting, always listening to audiobooks during her drives. While immersing herself in stories, she would often wonder: Why did they choose this person? What was it about them that did this book justice?
These questions planted the seeds of Voices by Joana Garcia, guiding her to a website offering opportunities for narrators. “I clicked on one tab, and my life transformed,” she shares. “It opened this whole new world I had no idea existed, and I dived into it head-first.”
Despite her enthusiasm and an innate love for storytelling, the industry was more complex than she had expected. From mastering the tone and depth to aligning emotion with characters and narratives, Garcia’s voiceover odyssey was a steep learning curve. “As it turned out, being able to read out loud wasn’t enough,” she muses. “You need to learn how to record and edit audio, build an adequate studio, and continuously nurture vocal and acting skills. When I was refused funding for the studio, I was devastated. But I reflected on my darkest times and channelled the pain into motivation. I told myself I would learn the craft, and I did just that.”
The voiceover community has been integral to her career development, welcoming Garcia with a treasure trove of tips, assistance, and training opportunities. With a combination of inner grit and external support, she has navigated the stormy beginner waters masterfully, finding her niche in nonfiction audiobooks. From narrating the stories of serial killers to political manifestos and societal commentaries, she conveys complex messages with clarity, authenticity, and just the right amount of emotion.
For her unique talent of bringing stories to life, Garcia has been recognized in Libro.fm’s Latinx Narrators You Should Be Listening To list, as well as encouraged to offer coaching sessions to aspiring voice actors. Though Garcia might consider professional training services in the future, there is a new era of Voices by Joana Garcia unfolding now.
In her move from Virginia to Washington, DC, with her children having left home, she traded suburban life and her previous studio, embracing this as an opportunity to revitalize and reimagine herself in preparation for the next decade. Nestled amidst skyscrapers and bustling streets, her new apartment will soon be enhanced with a freshly built studio. The city’s pace inspired her to expand her services to corporate narration, with more genres planned for further down the line. Additionally, Garcia is also hoping to launch an educational and entertaining podcast, a source of inspirational stories, industry insights, and genuine conversations.
Joana Garcia’s decade of bringing stories to life has been filled with many lows, remarkable heights, and transformative experiences. But beyond awards and recognitions, the one moment she will cherish forever is the day she realized her worth. “When you are a beginner in something, no matter the industry, the impostor syndrome feels debilitating,” she shares. “Once I overcame those self-limiting beliefs and realized I could do it, everything changed. It wasn’t only about soothing my nerves; it was about gaining empathy for the characters I was narrating. That’s when I knew that it was both a privilege and a duty to relay other people’s stories in a way where every word matters.”
Media Contact
Name: Joana Garcia
Email: [email protected]
