Cross Body Lead

Book excerpt: How far would you go to right an injustice? At a college campus across the bay from San Francisco, Billie Ochoa teaches Cold War politics and Cuban history. She is charismatic, unapologetic, resolute. Inspired by her dead father's love for his Cuban homeland, she is a regular at a salsa dancing class at the local community center, and an advocate for the vulnerable, marginalized and exploited. But when one of her students, Evelyn Davis, needs her help, Billie gets more than she's bargained for. One of the few Black students on campus, Evelyn is used to being followed in drug stores and clothing shops, but it's different when Eddie Pike, another student in Ochoa's class, follows her home, posts photos of her on social media, and texts her multiple times a day, repeatedly asking her out on a date. Evelyn tries to keep her cool but is becoming frustrated and scared as Eddie refuses to take no for an answer. She confides her fears to her professor as the stalking escalates. Trash cans are overturned. Someone has broken into her apartment, but campus police and college officials continue to dismiss Evelyn's concerns. Even the campus counselor, bound by confidentiality laws, is unable to reassure Billie-or anyone else-about the risk Eddie poses. Seemingly out of options, Ochoa is forced to take matters into her own hands. Lyrical and poignant, edgy, bold and honest, Cross Body Leadis a story at once cautionary and all too real. Where indifference leads to tragedy, but the ultimate lessons learned are ones of compassion and love.