We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Terry Gooch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Terry below.

Alright, Terry thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

So I actually started modeling when I was in high school but I didn’t stick with it. I saw going to college and getting my degree as more important and I didn’t make time for both. I do not regret it as I am here now learning and growing but maybe I would be further ahead.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My first time modeling anything was actually when I was in high school. I think I was about 16 at the time. I use to go help out at an art gallery close to my house. One of the artists and a friend of hers had passed my fiend and I walking to the gallery and I smiled and waved at them. A few minutes later they showed up at the gallery. I was introduced to a photographer and his name was Gavin Peters. He told me he wanted to do a shoot with me. I went home to ask and to get some clothes and did the shoot that day.

After that I was motivated to take acting and modeling classes. I graduated from the acting and modeling school while I was in college. After that I was so busy with school I didn’t do any modeling or acting.

About 6 years later I moved to San Antonio. I was in the process of meeting people and at one of my jobs I met my Aiti. We become really close and both had an interest in getting back into modeling. She has a connection to a photographer that introduced us to an agency and groom there we joined.

I have learned so much through this journey since then. I think so far my biggest highlights is being able to walk in New York Fashion Week. I was able to walk in amazing shows for amazing designers, get into Elle magazine and get a couple Getty images.

For me it’s not just about fashion but as a model I feel I can inspire someone else. Someone who doesn’t feel worthy or has a dream they think they cannot follow. We all need someone to look up to like us. Hopefully I can be that for someone.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This journey has been a long one for me. I started with having so much anxiety about not being good enough. I was told I couldn’t be a model because my face structure was not good. I was told I did not have the correct body form and much more. It was also very discouraging. Also during this all I was fighting cancer. I knew I needed to keep pursuing my dream because it gave me joy and what a better way to fight than with joy. God placed me in the right situations and around the right people to be able to continue living. Now I still deal with it but I am a better model than I’ve ever been and I am in remission.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My specific goal is to just live a life that I am proud of as an example. I want to be there to push others forward in their journey. I want to be the person I needed. We all need someone similar to us in some way to show us we can do it too. I want to be able to create a space filled with love where everyone feels comfortable coming and being able to create and learn.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/the_t.gooch

Image Credits
Xcq_shots Ronnie Moffitt Mg one Mari Olivia Orona