For many people, Los Angeles, California, is the place where dreams come true and there are no limits. But this belief did not extend to Fatima Gomez. After receiving her degree in fashion merchandising, Gomez knew in her heart that New York held her destiny.
A month before Gomez was scheduled to move to New York, her pastor met with her for a conversation, during which he encouraged her to pray harder about her decision. Though confused, she took his advice; her prayers ultimately led her to an internship in Orange County, California, and a move to Los Angeles after the internship ended.
Born in Durango, Mexico, Gomez grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and stayed close to home as she worked toward her undergraduate degree. Through collaboration with others and pursuing interests of her own, Gomez not only curates her own blog but also works in digital marketing, and runs her own magazine: TRPLE Magazine–“content for the soul.”
I chatted with Gomez over email for Resolute Magazine to get a look at how she came to Christ, what informs her process for her work, and the goal of TRPLE Magazine.
Fatima Gomez, Los Angeles-based content creator and founder of TRPLE Magazine.
Resolute Magazine: When did you start blogging?
Fatima Gomez: My journey as a blogger started in college. While I was studying fashion merchandising, a friend and I wanted to share our faith through journalism and fashion. We initially started to blog together; soon enough we developed individual visions.
How did you come to Los Angeles?
[Los Angeles] was never part of my plan, so this question is funny. I originally planned to move to [New York City] after being in Bible school for 1 year. I felt God was going to transition me to a big, metropolitan city, and in my heart, NYC was it. Closer to the moving date, I had a very detailed conversation with my pastor and he suggested I consider praying more and waiting to move. I was confused but I took his advice, trusted his covering, and believed God [would] continue to show me what steps to take. Five months later, I heard about an internship with Bianca Olthoff in [Orange County] and I applied, not truly thinking anything of the opportunity. To my surprise, I got accepted to the internship, moved my life to California within a month, and then transitioned to L.A. one month after the internship ended.
How did you come to faith in Christ?
I was raised Catholic and I went on and off to youth group since middle school. My true conversion happened in high school after I lost my virginity to this particular guy. I felt so empty and lifeless. Two weeks after this break-up, my good friend (who Fatima also refers to as a brother to her) invited me to his youth group… I don't remember the exact moment. It was all an accumulation of small seeds being planted from my younger years to that point. The break-up was the tipping point because I felt worthless and I knew there was more to life than trying to chase fulfillment in a man. Whenever I started going to this young adult group, the honesty, and rawness of my pastor was what I needed to hear. And because of his honesty, I realized that God could truly help me out of the hole I felt I was in and He could help me get to a better place emotionally and spiritually.
When did your interest in fashion begin?
My interest in fashion began in high school through a fashion class and the amazing support of my fashion teacher. This was followed by me exploring different people’s posts on MySpace and connecting with them because their outfits were so dope. I still do that through Instagram and YouTube.
How do you serve others or plan to serve others through what you do?
I think the best way for me to serve people is by using my gifts. Last year, God taught me a lot about my value as His daughter and the best way I can give Him glory is by creating things in excellence with His love and truth as the priority.
Why did you start TRPLE Magazine?
TRPLE Magazine exists to create and present content for the soul. There are a lot of magazines, and brands in general, that create content for the sake of creating content. But to me, creating content is an opportunity to feed the mind, thoughts, and will of the general public [with the influence of] God's truth and spirit.
Where did the name TRPLE Magazine come from?
TRPLE came organically after I discovered the 3 pillars TRPLE wants to display to the world--purpose, process, and purity. The initial letter is a "P" and there are three of them; hence TRIPLE. Because there is already a magazine named Triple, I loved the name so much I decided to keep it by modifying the spelling of it by taking the "I" out. This also means that "I" move out the way and allow God to lead me on how to create.
What do you hope readers and viewers gain from TRPLE Magazine?
No matter where they are in life, I just want them to be one step closer to the heart of Christ.
What is a difficult thing you’ve had to overcome?
One of the most recent things has been my sister passing away due to health complications after battling with breast cancer. It was very unexpected and you can only imagine how many questions I have going through my head. Grieving and mourning is something no one ever teaches you how to do, so I am learning how to by taking this process one day at a time. I am also learning to open up about my emotions and thought-process to friends, family, and church leaders. I think I also want to do counseling sessions soon as well.
You talked a lot about your interest in fashion, and your love for that. When it comes to diversity in the fashion industry, and the editorial world, what do you think can be gained from intentional diversity?
With the recent case of Gucci and Prada's blackface issues, I think companies, especially prestige brands, should consider involving more diverse team members that represent their market. It is unfortunate that still in 2019, we have to address equal representation of race, sex, and age in companies that are well-known, but I think by taking small steps we can get to a place
What advice would you give to someone who plans to “follow their dreams?”
I would say to pray, to plan, and then to pursue. I think in my early twenties, I did this out of order. I prayed, pursued, and then planned. And it did not work out as smoothly as I thought. But I really believe when we put God first in our dreams, He will direct us in a way that is exciting, unexplainable, but works the best. Not the easiest, but the best.
TRPLE Magazine’s Instagram shares that the magazine “is a curated magazine displayed on Instagram to showcase the power of purpose, process, and purity.” What does that entail?
These three values make me think twice about what I do and could potentially do the same for our target audience. Within these topics, I capture moments and people's stories that showcase any aspect of that topic. TRPLE is only displayed through social media, so Instagram is our only vehicle to showcase those stories.
How does theology inform your process?
I definitely value studying God's word and being educated in it. I think this part of my relationship with God guides me on what to say and what not to say, how to behave, and what to create. Theology is a part of my process without even realizing it because my greatest influence on making decisions is glorifying God.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
When I was beginning in my career, I used to limit my creativity because I thought it wasn't "Christian" enough or it wasn't "cool" enough for culture. Now, because of God's reassurance that my specific voice matters, I create in partnership with Him and the results are more than I expected. I share this to say invite God into every part of your process and He will allow you to create things you never thought you could. The best part about this is that others will recognize your creativity and express how it has impacted them.
Fatima Gomez, Los Angeles-based content creator and founder of TRPLE Magazine.