To Find a Killer: The Homophobic Murders of Norma and Maria Hurtado and the LGBT Rights Movement (Paperback)

Description

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A blend of True Crime, narative non-fiction and political analysis for everyone interested in LGBTQ rights
Beginning with a gripping, firsthand account of the 2011 anti-gay murder of twenty-four year-old Norma Hurtado, a student the author taught in an Austin high school ten years earlier, this series of interwoven essays employs a mix of narrative nonfiction and political analysis to uncover the intersectional nature of the disparities impacting the LGBTQ community.
Drawing from his fifteen-years’ experience as a grassroots organizer in Texas and California, Greco argues for the types of political organizations and public policies necessary to address these challenges. To Find a Killer charts a robust but pragmatic course for the LGBTQ movement today: investing in grassroots leadership development, rooting organizations in local civic and religious institutions, and focusing not just on legal equality, but a wider set of socio-economic issues.



Author proceeds from the book will benefit Texas-based LGBTQ organizations.

About the Author

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Doug Greco is a writer and political organizer in Austin, Texas. Doug’s writing has been featured in Across the Margin Magazine, Nonprofit Quarterly, Frontiers Magazine, and his blog Yellowpig.com chronicles Doug’s experiences growing up in the Coal Region of Eastern Pennsylvania. To Find a Killer was a finalist in the “2021 Texas Writers League Manuscript Contest,” and his account of the Hurtado Murders made the “2020 Best of Nonfiction List” for Across The Margin Magazine.

Praise For…

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"A heartbreaking, infuriating, illuminating book. Greco traces a line connecting class, sexual orientation, gender and ethnicity that forces you to confront your own biases. This is essential reading for both the burgeoning and the seasoned activist, educator and political scientist." —Tim Kirkman, Emmy-nominated gay filmmaker; Films include The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, Lazy Eye, and the documentary Dear Jesse

"The stories Doug is telling need to be told, and what is so special is that he doesn’t simply analyze with precision the factors that lead to hate crimes such as the one at the center of the book, but he offers concrete solutions." — Michael Shields, Editor in Chief, Across the Margin / ATM Publishing

"I learned some new and surprising things from this book about the American LGBT movement and the history of social justice organizing more broadly." — Joseph Meissner, actor and filmmaker, director of Flood Streets and Least Favorite Love Songs

"Doug Greco makes an important contribution to the LGBT movement's strategic thinking and direction as it figures out how to build on its past successes and also go significantly beyond them." —Dave Fleischer, Director of Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Leadership LAB, Director of Organizing and Training at the National LGBTQ Task Force, and Director of Training at the LGBTQ Victory Fund

"Greco makes the case that what happened in Dove Springs is a microcosm of wider issues of class, race, religion, and prejudice that continue to exist in our society today. As a community organizer and leader, he reflects on recent LGBT struggles and successes, convincingly arguing for a path forward in this riveting book which resonates even more in these chaotic times." —Max Langert, Award-winning playwright, author of The Pact, The Relentless Pursuit of Ice, and Gibberish Mostly

"This carefully wrought book harnesses Greco’s considerable experience as an organizer, storyteller, and scholar, weaving the specific lives of the victims and their murderer together, but setting them against a backdrop of national crisis in the LGBT community."— Purcell Carson, Documentary Filmmaker and Lecturer at Princeton University

"The tragic deaths of Norma and Maria Hurtado in Austin, TX in 2011 get the attention they deserve in this probing analysis by Doug Greco, long time organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation affiliate in Austin, Central Texas Interfaith. Greco, former teacher to Norma Hurtado, has done a great service to the Hurtado family by both elevating their stories and forcing us to examine what we can learn from their tragic deaths."— Paul Turner,  Midwest Organizing Director for the Industrial Areas Foundation

"For anyone interested in the LGBTQ movement, social justice, or political activity, To Find a Killer is a must-read. Greco's skill in fusing political analysis, personal anecdotes, and a strong call to action results in a fascinating and educational book that inspires readers to consider the steps required to achieve real equality and justice for all." —Deviant Quill Reviews.

"While the primary premise of Greco’s book is to focus on one terrible, homophobic murder, underlying the book is a series of essays and arguments on the progress of LGBT rights and how these rights can and should continue to evolve and expand. The book makes a strong case for continuing to fight for these rights and to evolve with the growing definition of underserved and marginalized communities."—Across the Margin

Readers' Favorite Book Awards: Honorable Mention for Best NON-FICTION - LGBT