Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice

by Eddie Ahn

A moving graphic memoir following Eddie Ahn, an environmental justice lawyer and activist striving to serve diverse communities in San Francisco amidst environmental catastrophes, an accelerating tide of racial and economic inequality, burnout, and his family’s expectations.

Born in Texas to Korean immigrants, Eddie grew up working at his family’s store with the weighty expectations that their sacrifices would be paid off when he achieved the “American Dream.” Years later after moving to San Francisco and earning a coveted law degree, he then does the he rejects a lucrative legal career to enter the nonprofit world.

In carving his own path, Eddie defies his family’s notions of economic success, igniting a struggle between family expectations, professional goals, and dreams of community. As an environmental justice attorney, he confronts the most immediate issues the country is facing today, from the devastating effects of Californian wildfires to economic inequality, all while combatting burnout and racial prejudice. In coming fully into his own, Eddie also reaches a hand back to his parents, showing them the value of a life of service rather than one spent only seeking monetary wealth.

Weaving together humorous anecdotes with moments of victory and hope, this powerful, deeply contemplative full-color graphic novel explores the relationship between immigration and activism, opportunity and obligation, and familial duty and community service.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Memoir, Nonfiction, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Biography Memoir, Asian Literature

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2024

About the author

Eddie Ahn has been engaged in policy and legal advocacy since 2009. Prior to being a nonprofit attorney, he was an AmeriCorps member, teaching public speaking and arts workshops in Oakland’s Chinatown. While working toward his law degree, he continued to teach art and public speaking workshops for youth and worked for the Assembly Judiciary Committee in Sacramento. His workforce development expertise and analysis of federal constitutional law has also assisted multiple municipalities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. In December 2021, Eddie was inducted into the State of California’s Clean Energy Hall of Fame for his work in equity and clean energy.

In addition to his work for Brightline, Eddie serves on three commissions for local and state government agencies related to environmental policymaking. In 2017, Eddie was appointed to the SF Commission on the Environment, which sets policy for the SF Department of Environment and advises the City and County on environmental matters. In 2018, he was appointed to the SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), a state planning and regulatory agency with regional authority over the Bay Area. In June 2020, he was appointed to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which plans and finances transit in the nine Bay Area counties. In 2022, he was elected by his peers to serve as President of the SF Commission on the Environment. He has also served on the boards of Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) and Mission Housing Development Corporation.

Eddie has received his J.D. from University of California, Hastings College of the Law and his B.A. from Brown University. He is also a member of the California State Bar.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a theory: Eddie Ahn is running for office and this graphic memoir is meant to make him look good as he launches his campaign.

I was excited to dive into this graphic memoir with a unique focus: growing up Asian American, getting into the law field, and pursuing nonprofit work. It's an interesting blend of things, but this memoir sadly didn't work all that well for me for a few reasons.

As I reflected more on what I love most about graphic memoirs, a few things came to mind: 1) a unique visual style that captivates me; 2) a fascinating or funny story; 3) lots of vulnerability and depth. Unfortunately, ADVOCATE didn't quite hit the mark in those areas.

The different areas of focus don't cohere well into a narrative. Eddie seems like a good, hardworking dude... but the book almost reads like "look at me, I'm so great, I'm so humble, I drive an old Toyota Corolla, can you believe how humble I am?" It's odd. His work was very dry and this was a text-heavy graphic memoir, with straightforward illustrations that didn't hook me or add a ton more to the text. His work is important and I'm so glad he's doing it! I'm just not sure it lent itself well to this format.

A few other strange moments:
-He goes on at length about an eye surgery he got and jumps forward in time like a decade to his mom getting surgery, but doesn't make much of a connection between them or anything else in the narrative.
-He complains for several pages about getting parking tickets at work because his office is on a street with 1 hour street parking and he forgets to go move his car. Perhaps... park somewhere else?
-The most bizarre by far: he includes a story about getting into a friendly stranger's car and nearly being scammed into buying 6 leather coats because he wants it to illustrate *checks notes* that he's an optimist and likes to think the best of people? I simply would've excluded that anecdote lol.

His treatment of his parents in the book struck me funny, too. I'm all for grappling with your childhood trauma and how your upbringing impacted your mental health and who you are today... but he only shows the smallest snippets of his parents and comes down on them pretty harshly. He harps on how his mom is super resentful of his grandpa as if she shouldn't be and then doesn't explore it further. Later, he describes his dad's health declining and leaves a scene where his dad is passed out in a bush and implies that they'd just eaten their final meal together... did he die?! We just move right on like it's nothing! I was a bit perplexed by that--I'm sure there's more to the story, but I guess it didn't really fit here? So strange. Also unclear if he married that girl he briefly talked about? It feels like he's both trying to explore and obscure the personal... and this is a memoir! Deeply personal and vulnerable is what I'm here for!

Also, I think the guy could benefit from some therapy to work on his relationship with money. I was baffled that the final scene is one person telling him he feels bad for him doing nonprofit work, because it's so little pay for so much work... and then one employee tells Eddie "we appreciate you" and he's like "that's all that matters! I'm here to serve!" It almost seems like he's punishing himself and thinks he doesn't deserve to have nice things. It's a weird vibe to praise your own martyrdom so much (especially one scene where he talks about pushing past burnout and being proud of it).

All that being said: this graphic memoir was likely just not been for me. If you're down for a lot of history on the environmental justice movement in the Bay Area and meandering reflections on identity, nonprofits, and community organizing, then it may be up your alley!

2.5 stars. Grateful to have received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something a little different and, more often than not, a lot of different things, not necessarily what you'd expect, and very much not a simple, linear, singular story or theme... and, very much not perfect, yet ... something rather interesting and thought-provoking and evocative..... but, but, but....

This is an inordinately quirky endeavor, and, while I was intrigued by many of the themes - from race, the immigrant experience, and family to law school (and legal careers and public interest work and loan forgiveness) and smart people playing cards/gambling for income, to budgets and the challenges of eating healthy food on strict budget, to climate change and environmental justice (but see below), well, ... it's a lot.

The first rule of autobiography (or at least the first rule I've made up) is that the autobiographer gets to tell their own story anyway they like. They can share as much or as little as they'd like, they can be selective or inclusive, they can work with whatever timeline facilitates their interests, they can select their own voice and target a particular audience (including an audience of one, if that's the goal), and they deploy whatever medium and tools work for them. It may not be the way I'd tell my story, but it's not my story, nor should I assume it was written with me as an intended audience.

I haven't done enough research to determine what the author wanted out of this enterprise (nor do I plan to do so). How much of this was catharsis or an effort to resolve a long-running debate between multiple voices in the author's head? Was this rampant egocentrism or an effort to defend or justify himself to a particular reader as a proxy for parental approval or acceptance? Is it a stepping stone or platform to a future aspiration? I dunno. And that's OK.

Reviewer's nit: At some level the environmental justice angle in the title felt almost like a bait and switch. Sure, it's relevant, but it's neither dominant nor well developed in the book.

Kudos to the publisher for the production quality - the volume is nicely packaged and bound, and the individual pages are satisfyingly sturdy (or heavy), and the graphics and the text are clear (and, most importantly, interesting and compelling).

Ultimately, it kept my attention, I was curious enough to keep turning the pages, and the book made me think. I'm glad I found it.

[Flybyreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this inspiring graphic novel filled with nostalgia and heartwarming memories but the tone was a bit too dry for me. The drawings were good and dynamic while the narrative fell flat.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Some panels were made within the last couple months, some many years ago. Great to see an artist grow and share that growth with others. The scenes and thought process regarding family and life decisions, they really reflect my own experiences. And also, bringing in micro-aggressions and race-driven discrimination, it’s so hard to fit them into small vignettes since it can sometimes dominate your headspace for weeks. I think Ahn captures that well. personally have never gone into the depths of burrito math that Ahn has, or been a frontline worker for frontline communities, or a love-hate relationship with a 2009 Corolla, but his story does inspire me to find purpose in vocation, profession, passion, and mission.

PS Eddie if you ever read this review, I hope you one day publish a coffee-table art book, more fictional comics, and a part two to your memoir! Maybe ten years down the line?

[Carol Youssif · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really struggled to finish this book, and I did it only because I have to review it for a publication.
Who is this book written for? Who is the intended audience? The story meanders between memories, family, identity, and NGO work. Yet... it's not that interesting. Or compelling, or told with any grace that will make the person reading connect with the text.
I feel terrible to give someone's memoir such a bad rating, it's their life experience after all, but this book did not work for me.

[Vivek · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this a lot, but it’s kind of a great example of the perils of writing a memoir when you don’t have much interesting to say about your life. Eddie Ahn is a Korean-American environmental justice attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area, and explores themes about his work, his family, and the choice to work in non-profits (I guess opposed to more financially lucrative work) throughout his career.

I think there are probably a lot of very interesting things to explore in his life. Does he think non-profit work is sufficient or even all that helpful in the face of widespread climate collapse? Where does his desire to “do-good” come from? What kind of relationship does he wish he had with his parents, and what’s stopping him from realizing that?

Unfortunately we don’t get deep, or even basic, answers to some of these interesting questions. I know this sounds harsh, and it’s not a judgment on Eddie Ahn or the choices he’s made in his life, but more a disappointment with a vapid and surface-level telling of his life. I think it’s admirable that he is a self-taught artist, and the art itself isn’t bad. But as much as there were so many things in here that could have resonated with me (being an Asian American former public interest attorney in the Bay Area myself), this one really fell flat.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Review ✨ Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice by Eddie Ahn

Thanks to Ten Speed Graphic and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This graphic novel traces Eddie's life from his childhood through going to law school and working in nonprofit environmental advocacy in the Bay Area. My interest in the book came through my interest in the history of art and activism in the Bay Area, and so I found these glimpses especially interesting.

I loved the use of color to denote different times/places, and the art style was enjoyable. In general, I'm not sure I felt fully engaged all the time. Another review mentioned that the audience of the book felt a little unclear, and I think this also contributed to my shifting interest.

Overall, I enjoyed it but I needed a little more to keep my full attention.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: adult graphic memoir
Setting: mostly San Francisco / Bay Area
Pub Date: 16 Apr 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ non profit educational and environmental work
⭕️ memoirs in graphic form
⭕️ Bay Area life

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gently and blandly told memoir of a Korean-American law student who risks his family’s displeasure by his using his new degree to be non-profit environmental director versus becoming a high-paid corporate lawyer.

Lots of details about the job, experiences with racial discrimination and making ends meet; as well as a bit of humble-bragging and martyrdom to wade through.

Fortifying it all was the desire and weighty expectations to please his parents with indelible perseverance, hard work, and a desire to make a difference in the world.

I have a feeling that we haven’t heard the last of Ahn yet—or should I say Congressman Ahn ;-)

[Royal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a few months, but I feel this book is more relevant than ever with the ongoing LA wildfires.

Very touching and moving graphic memoir about an environmental justice attorney/non profit executive based in SF/Oakland, with themes of climate change activism, non-profit and community advocacy, socioeconomic challenges, anti-Asian hate during the peak of COVID-19, and immigrant parent expectations versus dreams of the child. I like that the comic panel colors change to signify different part of Ahn’s life (past v. present, parent’s v. child’s perspectives, etc) and Ahn’s perseverance in spite of numerous obstacles (including medical, student loans, and choosing a fulfilling career over wealth) is very inspiring. The art is also very detailed and brought me back to SF (and I also agree Shan Dong dumplings are nourishing).

One note from me is that although the book quality is nice, I would’ve preferred if the paper used a more sustainable type (see The Magic Fish or Lunar New Year Love Story). Overall, I think this is a book that will become more relevant with time.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advocate is a unique graphic novel that documents Eddie Ahn's childhood, education and professional growth as an environmental advocate. This book touches upon many topics including, growing up in a struggling immigrant family and the associated challenges with racism and economic inequality. Mr. Ahn works incredibly hard supporting communities at need, earning a law degree and leading a non-profit organization, Brightline Defense committed to environmental justice.

I was impressed and moved by Mr. Ahn's storry and tenacity. I would have liked more description of the specific environemntal science that Brightline worked on and how it tied to under served communities. Mr. Ahn's story is inspiring and I recommend it, especially for young adults looking for how they can make a difference in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Hollyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a good story that could be a very powerful one but unfortunately, Ahh just does not have the storytelling capabilities to pull it off. A lack of structure, solid through line and emotional depth make it difficult to connect with Ahn or the circumstances he faces. My empathy for his work is conceptional rather than emotional and his rather shallow, one-sided depictions of those around him is disappointing. It is a promising and even inspiring story but the form does not do the content justice. This is not a judgement of Ahn’s life or story but rather those of his capabilities as an author and storyteller.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artwork is very nice and makes good use of colour palettes to differentiate different times and places. The narrative really lacks focus or an overarching purpose though; this reads like a pandemic project that needs more work to have any general appeal.

[Shine Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an example of how the star-rating system fails us as readers. I rate it a 4 because of its ingenuity in form, the heart of the story, and the personal connection I have with the story's location, the subject of environmental action, and the author's cultural background. I've never read anything like this before. but stick around, there's more to the review.

I liked the truth of the story: lived experience of a man who's just trying to do his best to do good. he's a likable character from the start and it's a likable story. the lessons and realizations at the end of each story feel like an old neighbor's two cents because of their groundedness. i liked the distinct punchiness of each chapter's arc, and the author's use of color to indicate changes in time or setting. most of all, i liked how each cartoon strip felt like i was looking at a kind of self-portrait style of drawing, where it's detailed and sketch-y at the same time.

now, onto the parts i disliked. what's with the color pattern from the second half of the book onwards? at some point it's not as clear as to which color is indicating which part of the chronology of the story. and that points to a larger issue i take with the book, which is that certain characters and pieces of information are glossed over as the story progresses. for instance, who is anny? she's suddenly introduced as someone that seems significant to the author's life, yet is rarely given any kind of spotlight. next, what more is there to the relationship between the author and his mother? why is there so much emphasis on the father and grandfather and not the mother and grandmother? how did the divorce impact the author? and why does the author go into law in the first place? these are a few of the main things that irked me while reading.

it's important to discuss the things i disliked about the book because i find this graphic novel to be such an interesting story with an interesting and strategic use of form. there's so much more that the author could dive into in this story; each chapter in itself feels like they could be split up into more in-depth story arcs.

please keep writing and drawing more!

[Bernadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to a book club choice, I read my first full-length graphic book and now have a high bar with which to judge others in this genre. Author/artist Eddie Ahn wisely chose the graphic approach to reach and inspire young adults to follow in his footsteps as an environmental lawyer working in the nonprofit segment of the San Francisco Bay Area. Korean American, Ahn encounters racism and disappointment in his childhood as well as his career as he tries to bring better air quality, greater mass transit options and fight the effects of global warming in the Bay Area. A deeply loving son, Ahn also faces disappointment from his parents who don't understand why he chose to work at a low-paying nonprofit instead of earning a big salary in corporate law. Sometimes he questions this too on bad days when he's trying to do everything himself on a shoestring budget and working 18-hour days. Then there are the good days when a small accomplishment has made a difference in an individual's life. These days motivate Ahn to keep on giving a little more of himself and inspire others to do so as well. Ahn's drawings are impressive, conveying his feelings as well as illustrating technical engineering topics in an understandable way. Ahn will be speaking at our local library in June and I hope to hear more from this creative, committed change-maker.

[Louisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn’t enjoy. I didn’t like his writing style (dry and unemotional) and for a memoir it was oddly devoid of self reflection or intimacy. Although he reiterates at least five times that public service is about the community and not your ego, the book felt self congratulatory (stories about kids calling him a superhero, his various accomplishments) and while he tells us that it was hard to not have money or time for friends and family I didn’t feel it emotionally. He also was really preoccupied with and idolized his father and grandfather and hardly mentioned his mother or wife (?). His art is beautiful, the work he’s done in the Bay Area is amazing, and his story is impressive (and it’s not necessarily a bad thing that he’s celebrating himself!) - his writing just rubbed me the wrong way.

[Dan McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next month's library book club pick!

3.5 rounded up. Well drawn and a neat personal story, but I often find that autobiographies just peter out at the end, and this one does too. It's hard to find an end to a story when it's someone's life that continues after the book is written.

Ahn does a great job reflecting on his decisions and what drives him forward, and you can tell that he's got so much more story to tell.

[vi_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I liked:
-Eddie's vulnerability and his dedication to his work in the non-profit world. Although some have noted that he comes off as "humble-bragging," I like that he's able to advocate for himself (pun unintended) and speak on his accomplishments.
-The emphasis on community and the joys that come from small interactions in life
-The art and visual portrayal of SF. This is one talented guy!

Things I didn't like:
-The storytelling and writing felt jumbled and disconnected. It made it difficult for me to understand the connections (to different events in his life, or to larger themes as a whole) that he was trying to make and to stay engaged with the storyline.
-There was too much text for my taste. I know there's no "right" amount of text that can appear in graphic memoirs/novels, but I feel like the visuals are supposed to carry a lot of the weight/meaning/information, leaving less emphasis on the written word. But with this book I felt like I was trying to absorb paragraphs and paragraphs of information that, again, didn't not feel cohesive enough for my brain to really grasp.

Thank you to the author's publishing team (unsure if it's Ten Speed Press) for a review copy of the book!

[Sami Ahmad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sped through this one, much like Eddie does in life. I would like to reread it. This is a very Asian American graphic novel. He doesn’t get into his feelings too much(Asian American af). He runs himself into fur ground(Asian American AF). You don’t really get a glimpse into his personal feelings unless you take a second glance at how he draws people and shares his thoughts on how he thinks they should be different (ASIAN AMERICAN AFFFFF)

(I’m Asian American)

[Nuha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eddie Ahn's Advocate follows the life of a young enviromental justice nonprofit lawyer from early life to now. Along the way, Ahn shows us his Korean roots, his path through school and early days in San Francisco. Ahn's kind soul shines through the stories, though he never labors on the difficult parts. As a reader, I sometimes found myself wishing the story progressed a bit faster.

[k-os]

I thought this was sweet! The stuff about the grandfather felt a little tangential/forced, but Ahn is a humble narrator, and I liked this story of a sort of reluctant nonprofit worker.

[Steve S · Rating 4 out of 5]

He has had an interesting life.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I came for the content but have difficulty assimilating Graphic presentations. Oh yeah, and then there's the inability to utilize TTS. That being said, the use of color to differentiate content areas is brilliant.
The author has impressive talents and is able to use the past to improve the future of our planet. The rest of you need to explore and learn from this book, but the few of us hope that a conventional TTS format will become available soon!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC on Adobe Digital Editions from Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press | Ten Speed Graphic via NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity!
#AsianAmerican #KoreanAmerican #Lawyer #EnvironmentalSustainability #GraphicNonFiction #memoir #Californian

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

On its face, this graphic novel has a couple things I really like: autobiographies, great art, use of colorwork to set a scene (timeline mostly in this case), detailed and loving illustrations of places I'm very familiar with (I live in Sacramento and have spent a lot of time in the Bay Area including a year of higher education!). But the content...? It didn't grab me, and while it was educational it was maybe too dry and too 'here are events that happened." Even events I personally lived though (C19 closures, the California wildfires and how orange our skies were... those should have hit harder to me).

I really wanted to like this and the art was really good but it was a strange way to tell a life's story and not a lot of meaningful retrospection or self-discovery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press | Ten Speed Graphic for the eARC in exchange for review.

[Mary Shyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those rare graphic novels where it pulls me in so much that I don’t mind lots of text. Ahn weaves a complex story here between past and present, relatable to anyone who’s had a shifting career trajectory. Deep, thoughtful, literary, and expertly drawn.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

The drawings are wonderful

The writing a bit stiff

Also valorizes the over the top over commitment and martyrdom to the cause. Not a fan of that part

[Reese Isbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve enjoyed Eddie’s art and stories for years. it’s so great to have one in book form. and i appreciate the overall concept of trying to be true to a cause and advocating for it while also getting through life’s daily struggles. Eddie has an amazing gift and it’s well worth delving into his world and this graphic novel.

[Aneesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to preorder this book after following the author for a while. The local setting is a plus. While both the drawings and narrative are stiff at times, I appreciate experiencing a person's search for meaning and throughlines in the story and themes of their life.

[Katrina_lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly picked up this book because it matches my job title. Hard to follow his story telling tbh, but he captures advocacy/organizing mindset really well… nice to see

[Abriyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about eddies life work and family dynamics. He is the perfect example of giving back to the community and what it truly means to be a Good Samaritan even when it feels like your not appreciated.

[Shen Gao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this book because I came across his Instagram and love his comic style storytelling. That said, my few critique of this book are:
- there’s not that much new material in this book that’s not already on his Instagram. If you don’t follow his work this book may be for you, but don’t expect a whole lot of new work if you’re familiar with his comics
- some chapters seem to be a mishmash of some of his already published (on Instagram) short stories, and seem disjointed when grouped under a specific chapter with a specific title & theme. Maybe these could’ve been broken down into smaller chapters into themselves
- found some typos and some areas that needed typographical editing (eg double dashes that should really be m-dashes)