While Berlin has always turned to his faith for strength, Hiroku dives into increasingly dangerous ways of coping, pushing them in opposite directions just when they need each other most. As Hiroku and Berlin's romance blossoms, they take greater risks to be together.īut when a horrific act of violence tears them apart, they both must look bigotry in the face.

Initially sarcastic and aloof, Hiroku finds in Berlin a steady, supportive friend who soon becomes more. Hiroku is fleeing his sophisticated urban scene to recover from drug addiction and an abusive relationship when he arrives in Berlin's small Texas ranch town. Then Hiroku Hayashi swerves into the high school parking lot on his tricked-out motorcycle like some sexy comic book villain, and Berlin knows he doesn't stand a chance. Lacro earned a master’s and bachelor’s degree in travel industry management, and a PhD in communication and information sciences from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.High school junior Berlin Webber is about to reap the fruits of his hard work and land a football scholarship―if he can keep his sexuality a secret from his best friend, Trent, and their homophobic coach. Internationally, she is a board of director for the Community Colleges for International Development. Nationally, she serves as Alliance Executive Committee member for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and as board of director for the Global Community Colleges Leadership Network. She is active nationally in Achieving the Dream Initiative, Complete College America, and Global Community Colleges Leadership Network. Lacro serves as commissioner and has chaired several comprehensive accreditation visits for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association and was a commissioner for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Before joining the university, she has held management roles at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort. Previously, she was assistant dean, director of academic advising and director of internship and career development at UH Mānoa School of Travel Industry Management. At the university since 2002, she was the first woman chancellor at Honolulu Community College and also served as vice chancellor of academic affairs. Her key focus is to champion support for the student success agenda. Erika Lacro began as vice president for community colleges in 2019 for the University of Hawaiʻi’s seven community colleges.

Hiroku by Laura Lascarso