Terry Goudeau was born in Oakland, CA in the summer of 1956, to a pair of working class parents. When Terry was 2 his family moved to 64th St. between Budlong and Normandie in the neighborhood of South Central, Los Angeles. This is where Terry’s life would change forever.

Family Goudeau was supported by a hardworking father and mother. Terry was soon joined by 4 other siblings. Terry would soon learn that as the oldest child, he would have to protect his brother and sister and eventually his family. Terry immersed himself in sports. Warner football and Little League Baseball provided Terry an outlet for an energetic young man. He excelled at every sport he played, usually dominating opposing players and teams. While Terry excelled he began to notice differences in his family and the other families in the neighborhood. If we step back in time you will see the start of a different structure in the neighborhoods.

August 11th, 1965, the area of Los Angeles known as Watts exploded. Racial tension in this country had hit a breaking point. The whole country turned it’s attention to this small community. What was seen was the discrimination, poverty and despair the African American community was living in. Although Terry was only 9, the riots would define his neighborhood, and Los Angeles as a city of the have and have-nots.

Terry saw that he and his family had different lives then the rest of the community. During Christmas, there were presents under the tree. Birthdays brought new bikes and toys. Back to school brough new clothes, and shoes. When the ice cream man drove through the neighborhood there was always a quarter for an ice cream treat. This, of course, produced jealousy within some of the other neighborhood kids. Terry was the big brother, but found himself at a crossroads. He was brought up to be a strong, respectful young man, but people were beating up his brothers and sisters, taking their quarters, or other treats they may have had.

One day Terry ran into his house after being chased home by the neighborhood bully. Mrs. Goudeau stopped Terry in his tracks and said the words that would come to define who Terry Goudeau is. Mrs. Goudeau looked at Terry and told him “Don’t eve let anyone run you home!” With the bully still out front Terry stepped out of the house. The fight that ensued was short lived. This boy was no match for Terry. Although he had never been in a fight, Terry’s athleticism and strength was too much for the other boy.

What Terry learned on this day changed him. He could fight and win, meaning he could protect himself and his siblings. He was now the man.

Terry at 12 years old was at John Muir Jr. High School. Boys from other neighborhoods had been harrasing the kids from John Muir. These boys would steal their clothes. Walking home from school would put you at risk. These boys from the other neighborhoods would be the founders of the Crips. Terry had enough and pulled together all the boys from the neighborhoods surrounding John Muir. He was tired of people coming into their neighborhoods and taking advantage of them. What would happen next changed Los Angeles and eventually the nation forever.

62 Brims, or Six Deuce Brims, were created. Terry and the other boys split up their neighborhoods, for protection from these outside invaders. The Brims, who would become the Bloods, were there to take care of their neighborhoods. The original idea was to just protect, it was not based on violence, but security. The intended goodwill quickly escalated to what we today categorize as “gang violence”.

1972 was the year the gangs would change forever. Terry was at Manuel Arts H.S. and found a true homeboy, nicknamed “Bubble”. Terry did not need a nickname, he was “Terry Goudeau”. Terry and Bubble had brought handguns into the equation. The new established Crips run by Raymond Washington, Stanley Tookie Williams (R.I.P) and Bulldog, had their guns, it was time for the Brims to have theirs.

Gun Play changed the field. Little did he know Terry was now a gangster, becoming proficient in Urban Warfare. Terry would watch old gangster movies for ideas and would incorporate those ideas into the overall plan for the Brims. He would lead the Brims with an iron fist. Terry was earning a reputation as a fearless warrior, and a leader. He was smart, strong, and did not give a fuck! Terry had no fear of death or the death of a rival, which made him deadly. Constantly marked by the Crips, Terry took on the rold of an indestructible hero in the neighborhood. The only thing left, which nobody knew at the time was the role “Crack Crocaine” would play in his life and the gangs in Los Angeles.

Crack Cocaine invaded Los Angeles in the late seventies. This new drug offered a way for the gangs to make an unreal amount of money. The gangs saw the financial potential in this drug and Terry had found the drug that would be one of his addictions. This put Terry in an interesting position as a drug user but also, at the same time, having to keep his neighborhood reputation in tact. Terry's reputation as a killer and drug user, made him a special mark for the Crips and also the Police. The Police had heard stories about their crazy warrior Terry Goudeau, and his absolute ruthlesness. The Police realized they were dealing with something they had never seen before, a young black man,with power and money, who did not give a fuck. They realized that if you got in the way of Terry, you might pay the ultimate price, death. With crack in the neighborhood, it would slowly bring Terry to his knees. God would soon intervene.

Terry Goudeau would be in and out of prison for the next 15 years for various gang, violence, and drug related charges. The Brims had evolved, and soon began to fight each other over territory and drug sales revenues.Terry had also found crack. He was far from a crack-head, but more a gangster who found something that numbed his personal pain. By the time Terry was released from Soledad Prison in 92’ he had been shot 9 times, was known as the founder and leader of the Brims, and had no hope for survival. Terry wondered, was this what his life was going to be? Little did he know that God had other plans. 1994 would be the year of change for Terry Goudeau.

The station wagon was parked two cars behind a truck. Still using alcohol and crack, Terry sat in the front of the wagon, pistol on the dashboard, Terry was hanging with a few homeboys. Terry noticed the truck and asked who was inside. The driver of the truck shouted who are you” and Terry, in true gangster bravado, said “I’m Terry Goudeau”. What happened next is nothing short of a miracle. The driver of the truck jumped out with pistol in hand, Terry released the brake of the wagon and let the car slowly roll backwards. He climbed to the floor of the car as the driver of the truck shot the contents of his pistol into the station wagon. Everyone watching realized Terry Goudeau was dead. The truck squeeled away and Terry Goudeau climbed from the floor of the shot up station wagon, to the amazement of everyone, including Terry. This one momend defined his life and Terry realized he did not want that life anymore. This boy had just tried to kill Terry Goudeau. Terry exited the vehicle and in a moment of frustration and confusion fired rounds from his handgun into the air. The neighborhood was ready to kill this boy, to retaliate for trying to kill Terry. Something Terry had never had before was compassion for his rival. In that one defining moment, Terry realized he wanted no more blood shed. Terry told the neighborhood he did not want them to retaliate, he wanted that boy to live. The guys that wanted to go after him had never seen Terry this way, and respected his wishes. God had done what was thought to be impossible, he had touched the heart and soul of Terry Goudeau.

Terry Goudeau got clean on March 25, 1995. With the help of Warm Springs Reahabilitation Center, Terry has remained clean ever since. He is married to his high school sweetheart, and has raised a family of his own. He now works for a moving company and as a community activist. He speaks at schools and to young gang members about getting out of the gang life. Terry is also one of the founders of Voices Behind the Walls, with John “Apollo” Payne, and Chris “Topher” Miller.