Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator

by Sofia Warren

You won the election…now what? Activist organizing meets government gridlock as a millennial New Yorker cartoonist follows a first-year senator on her unforgettable journey — from outsider to insider.

In early 2018, cartoonist Sofia Warren was not paying attention to New York state politics. But that summer, her Brooklyn neighborhood began buzzing about Julia Salazar, a 27-year-old democratic socialist running for state senate whose grassroots campaign was inspiring an army of volunteers. When they beat the odds and won, Warren found herself wondering what would happen next. How does it work when an outsider who runs on revolutionary change has to actually do the job? So she decided to find out.

Using the graphic memoir format, Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator is a remarkable first-hand account of Warren’s experience embedded with Julia Salazar and her staff during their first year in office. From candid conversations and eyewitness experiences, Warren builds a gripping and intimate portrait of a scrappy team of community organizers battling entrenched power structures, particularly to advance Julia’s marquee issue of housing rights.

At every key point during the year — setting up an office, navigating insider politics, public pushback, testy staff meetings, emotional speeches, protest marches, setbacks, and victories — Warren is up close and personal with Julia and her team, observing, questioning, and drawing, as they try to translate their ideals into concrete legislation. Along the way, Warren works toward answers to deeper questions: what makes a good leader? What does it mean to be a part of a community? Can democracy work? How can everyday people make change happen?

All these themes are explored — with nuance, compassion, and humor — in Sofia Warren’s remarkable debut.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Politics, Nonfiction, Memoir, Comics, History, Social Justice

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2022

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former campaign staffer, this is my kind of beach read. The non-fiction graphic novel Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator by author and illustrator Sofia Warren is an excellent behind-the-scenes look at state-level politics as Sofia follows freshman senator Julia Salazar through her first year in office. Salazar made national news when her grassroots campaign beat an incumbent NY democrat, making her the only Democratic Socialist in the state senate which. The 2018 was also a landmark election as the Democrats took control of the senate for the first time in over a decade. Legislation is a complex process and State senates often take a backseat in the media to the Federal level, so this is an excellent look at what goes on and Warren masterfully presents it in an accessible format and narrative. We watch Sofia follow Julia around and integrate with her staff, and a key takeaway from this book is just how much work the staff does that hardly anyone hears about. Informative yet never dry, this is a great book for anyone interested in politics or hoping to understand more about how it all works, as well as being a very encouraging look at grassroots movements and average people working to make change in their state.

Julia Salazar during a Tenant’s Rights march, as drawn by Sofia Warren

Sofia Warren may be familiar to readers of the New Yorker as a staff cartoonist (view here work), and I was rather charmed by reading an entire political graphic novel in her characteristic art style. She really captures likeness so effortlessly and can get facial expressions quite well. Which is key as there are A LOT of people represented here, but it never gets confusing who is who (there is a handy character key if needed too, and I love that). The book is about Julia Sanchez, but it is about much more than that and the staffers make sure to drive the point home that they are a movement and not a cult of personality—they have leaders but they want to unite, educated and mobilize the people and not rely on an individual to do all the work.


Julia Salazar speaks to a crowd

‘I can’t think of a better way to represent her than through the people around her,’ writes Warren, and something I really appreciated is how much the book focuses on what the staff is doing along with Julia. I worked on a campaign for a US House of Reps seat in the 2020 election and let me tell you, that was exhausting (but rewarding) work. Entire days spent calling people, staff meetings in a tiny shed because we couldn’t afford an office (a similar situation occurs here with Julia and her staff never having an actual office because spaces keep falling through), sleepless nights entering numbers, filing reports, checking figures, crunching data,endless trips to the bank depositing donations, meetings after meetings after meetings--it is a massive undertaking. So I really enjoyed seeing how much Warren lets the staffers speak in this book, such as Boris who explains organizing theories, or Cea who explains how so much of State capitol work is like gossip, and so many more. You see how they must represent the Senator in meetings, presentations, activist organizing, and more. You also see how the Senator is held accountable for their actions, with Salazar’s team getting a few reprimands for being considered hotheaded. Twitter becomes a hotbed for disputes it seems, and it is shown how this can negatively impact a Senator if they are thought of as difficult to work with. It is shown how cooperation and coalition building can be vital and how quickly a good bill can be killed if a Senator is unable to whip up votes over petty grievances or other political maneuvering. Senators are shown to admit they privately support bills but won't give them public support, and this book does a good job of showing how much manipulation and lobbying goes on.

‘The arc of the moral universe is long,’ said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘but it bends toward justice.’ This quote appears in the novel as the trajectory these people hope to achieve, bending towards justice and pushing the Democrat controlled senate further left. Much of the book focuses on Julia Salazar’s Good Cause Eviction Law Bill and her work with tenant activists during New York’s housing crisis. The book does not paint a flattering portrait of then-Governor Cuomo and does not shy away from discussions of corruption in New York politics, particularly around the topic of housing or budget negotiations. At one point, Boris ask Sofia if they fail to pass their bill if it will ruin her book, but Sofia says the point is to watch and learn how politics functions, yet the novel still finds a wonderful narrative that leads through the passing of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019. This is also a good insight into how compromises are sometimes reached or concessions made in order to reach a vote and avoid having it killed. Or not signed by the governor.

This is a fun and very educational book and I applaud Sofia Warren’s work here. Those looking for an inside look at Julia Salazar’s campaign will enjoy it, and while it doesn’t get very in depth about what Democratic Socialism is, it does a great job at presenting the idea and showing how it works in current legislative practice. There are some wonderful discussions on burnout and the imporance of organizing, such as a section contrasting Saul Alinsky's theories on community organizing with Jane McAlevey's 'deep organizing' theories (read about them in the links). The main point driven home in all this is that we should educate each other and give people the tools to organize and spread movements, which is a really empowering message. This is certainly worth the read and I would love to see more books on how campaigns and legislation works that are as accessible as this. This would make a wonderful addition to a classroom.

⅘

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Julia Salazar, a 27-year-old Democratic socialist, was elected to the New York state Senate in 2018, New Yorker cartoonist Sofia Warren proposed she document the first year in a graphic/comics project, which became a focus on one central issue, Fair Rent, a David and Goliath story of progressive activists advocating for the rights of people being treated unfairly by Corporate Housing Developers.

The work is top notch, though as with the work of Joe Sacco in Paying the Land, in order to understand this incredibly difficult work, and the nature of politics in general, you need to get deeply into the weeds, the nitty gritty, of fights with various corporate and entrenched political structures in order to understand what it takes to get things done politically. Nothing is straightforward and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Everyone knows many if not all politicians are bought variously by the rich and powerful, and that the poor have no money to buy them. And we all know that this is a terrible time politically in the world, and in this country; who can believe good things can even happen with so much corruption and lies and chaos? And half of this country doesn't even agree on what "doing good" means. I say social and economic justice for the 99 %, you say to-mah-to.

This book is both inspiring and frustrating, inspiring as it documents carefully how important it is to act on behalf of the needy, acting with them and not just for them, and doing the right things even if you fail in some (or all) of your goals and frustrating because of all the roadblocks. As Salazar (and former President Barack Obama) found, community-organizing is very different than elective office. (For years I worked on campaigns for Jean McKee against Gerald Ford in Grand Rapids, Michigan. . . ever heard of her? Didn't think so. I have no regrets, though we got crushed every election).

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cartoonist Sofia Warren embeds herself in the offices of a newly-elected New York state senator, Julia Salazar, hanging with her staff and talking to Salazar regularly during her first year in office. Salazar, a Jewish Latina in her late twenties, is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America whose agenda focuses on tenant rights and affordable housing.

I was never bored as I read the book, but it did start to veer more and more away from being about Salazar and more about the legislative process in Albany. Warren gives a sympathetic portrait of Salazar and her staff, portraying them as earnest and driven, but I never felt like I knew them much beyond a surface impression, especially as the book tipped toward following the somewhat dramatic outcome of a legislative package.

Old West Wing fans like me will probably get a kick out of this.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very in-depth look at the day-to-day life of a campaign staffer as she assists a New York senator with her election. The focus goes from broader issues that affect us all, such as the right to safe and affordable housing, to those that are very specific to the New York political world. Those without direct experience in the arena may find themselves struggling to engage with this one, as I did on occasion.

[Kayla Phaneuf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this graphic novel.

I had a hard time with this one. I'm very interested in politics and don't live in New York so I only have a brief outside view of NY politics. I was excited to learn a little more, especially in the format of a graphic novel. I liked some aspects of this, I learned some things I didn't previously know, which is always a positive.

That being said, I thought a lot of it was generally boring. I specifically liked the four to five page section where the tenants shared their specific issues with rent and landlords. I felt like this helped me become more attuned to the cause, I wish this had been sooner, because before that I didn't feel as connected to the group just talking about it.

I also had a really hard time reading the font. It was small and sort of in a handwritten style since it's a graphic novel and more of a personal memoir, but it still was more difficult for me to read and stay focused on. I think my issue with reading the font made it harder for me to enjoy and consume the material.

[Gabriel Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

"Radical" is a well written, happy-hybrid of political cartoons and quirky webcomics. Warren does an amazing job telling the story of Julia Salazar's first year as a New York senator and tells it with humor, nuance, and accuracy. This graphic memoir is a great example of making politics more understandable to the population. Going in I had no context or knowledge of tenant laws or the ways bills were advocated but I was able to learn so much from this and not feel overwhelmed or confused.

My only issue (and this is one I speak about a lot) is that the text was REALLY hard to read. In my opinion, graphic novels have always been a way for people with dyslexia, reading comprehension issues, and neurodivergencies to consume media in an accessible way, by using easy to read fonts and letting the art help tell the story. When a graphic novel comes out and has a hard to read font, it feels like it's doing a disservice to the people reading it. This is a big reason why I feel I can't give it a full five stars.
THAT BEING SAID! This copy is an uncorrected ARC and it may differ from the full published work. But for now, I will issue that as a warning to readers who have a hard time with unique fonts (as I do.)

Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of Julia's story as a senator. I think this will be a great read in high school classrooms as a really fun way to learn about government, and a great addition to both teen and adult graphic novel collections!

[Shana Darabie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone that pays attention to policy and government, I was really excited to read this, but it was just so painfully boring. It's like reading a civics book, but one where the writer keeps you abreast of what's going on in their life. Which is unfortunate considering how insane New York state politics is. Maybe this would have been enjoyable if it was written by someone actually familiar with New York politics rather than learning about it as they write about it. It also hurts that the writer never really digs deep when it comes to the central "character" of Salazar.

The art is just okay. There are some cool panel transitions here and there, but in other spots the flow is less obvious making for a sometimes confusing read.

[Estibaliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Very informative and clarifying on how politics actually work, it almost read like a thriller in its last part. Lots of insight on tenant laws and organization.

I just don't think this is going to get as popular as it deserves, just because of how negative the word socialist is considered in this country. Really baffling for someone that has lived in a democratic country where modern democratic socialism is a common thing. I guess the fact that this graphic novel is actually titled 'Radical' just feeds into the use of the term (socialist) as a slur, but sure Sofia Warren's work shows what is what, so read it to expand your mind.

[Immigration Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book. It is about the political rise and election of Julia Salazar (born December 30,1990), a "Socialist" State Senator from North Brooklyn (D, NY-18). Senator Salazar is young, Hispanic, of working class origin, and was raised by a single mom.

I put quotation marks around socialist because in order to govern, simply hailing from the far left means nothing without the ability to compromise to get ideas turned into legislation and legislation turned into law. In other words, the Senator's sympathies originate from the socialist end of the political spectrum, but the situational realities of governing -- with other legislators representing a variety of other constituents statewide -- bring her somewhere closer to left-of-center solutions.

The New Yorker cartoonist, Sofia Warren, presents an aesthetically pleasing narrative that is a much needed primer on New York State politics. I grew up in the NJ suburbs of NY and NEVER understood the NY state political headlines. They did not make sense back then, but with this book, they will mean something now.

It is eye-opening to watch what transpires behind the scenes. Sofia Warren is a sophisticated story teller. Her book is a charming, clever, and cogent tale of the machinations inherent in the political process -- and of the complications inherent in the cartooning process (especially trying to sketch anything resembling former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo)!

This book left me feeling hopeful. This young Senator, at the state level (like AOC in the House of Representatives at the national level), is idealistic, caring, and fully engaged with her constituents. Senator Julia Salazar has not been corrupted by the political system in the State Capital at Albany.

If the future brings more young leaders like Senator Salazar to the forefront, we'll be in good hands.

5 Stars.

[Joe Bogue · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a boring read! The author's own words sum up my biggest problem with this book: She set out "to write a book on government, not a biography." This was a huge mistake. Julia is the most interesting thing about the book, and she's hardly featured in it. What is covered is wordy, dry, and difficult to read. The author writing herself into the narrative adding many unnecessary pages that made a long book all the more tedious.

Also, the book is specifically about New York State politics. Aside from some theory on organizing, little of the politics covered in the book actually apply to people who aren't New Yorkers. As a result, this book is very alienating, and surprisingly elitist in tone for a book about socialists fighting corruption.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

My pea-brain only enjoys reading nonfiction if it is in graphic novel form, so thank God for politically savvy cartoonists.

[Aj Sharma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here is a breakdown

Artwork - 4/5 I really like the artwork. The style really appeals to be, i find it visually appealing. The lettering can be a little tiresome to read at times

Plot - 3/5 I feel like I have read this kind of story before. A person who considers themselves to be an outsider not really interested in politics becomes embedded in politics and learns lessons.

Characters - 3/5 - I have worked in political campaigns and these are definitely the type of people you run into in campaign offices. The difference is that they did nothing to make these people interesting. They are just talking heads, maybe it would be more interesting if there were fewer people but they were looked at a little more critically. The way they are presented just isn't compelling, yes I understand that they are real people, but they should be that - real people. The ones here just seem 2 dimensional

Story - 2/5 This book read like a graphic civics book about the politics of upstate New York. It was very very boring through long parts of the book.

I wouldn't recommend this book. I found it to be.. boring.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done picture of a state senator's first year in office, and the ins-and-outs of NY statewide politics. Gets a little dry, but that's kind of the point; this is work, hard work, and the Good Guys don't always win. But little victories add up. Recommended for anyone who wants to understand more about state politics, or who rents an apartment in NY state.

[Jayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. It is interesting to see how a group of people with a different political perspective than my own are working within the politisphere. I think that in the end everyone just wants things to be better but there is so much corruption and gridlock that holds things up and this text shows that too much power becomes condensed despite the appearance of democracy. It is a well drawn and thorough look at the struggles of a freshman senator in state office.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie I think a lot of this went over my head. That being said I did learn a lot about tenant and rent laws. I think this was interesting, but like not a lot about following around a socialist in my opinion.

[Tyler Obenauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a selection for the TBR Read Harder Challenge as a book about activism. It is a wonderful graphic novel following a state senator in New York as she embarks on a campaign to pass new rent control legislation while also navigating being a Democratic Socialist.

The novel does a wonderful job of pulling back the curtain and explaining the law-making process in an easy way and illustrating how legislators are pulled in different directions and also have to focus on myriad things - substantial and trivial.

[Sawy-o]

Wow, so interesting! I learned a lot about New York Politics and its functions dysfunctions as well as about the DSA and organizing/ movement philosophies. Cuomo really comes out looking awful in this.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good look into lawmaking in Albany, NY. I liked a look into passing laws through legislature.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

All-

Well drawn and written. Informative, insightful and inspirational.

-Recommended.

dm

[Esmé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone from organizing who didnt want to run for political office but felt pressured to do so and gets burntout in the process - i felt that. Glad she actually has a large enough staff team to support her and help her keep in contact with the community along with navigating all the brutal bureacracy of the institution.

[Shoshana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, engaging, perfect way to learn about state politics and the impacts individuals/movements can have on creating lasting progressive change. A must read!

[Bridget M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. It definitely told the story of a movement. Regardless of politics I enjoyed how this book showed the collective activism and responsibility of elective officials. I loved how Sofia illuminated her ignorance towards politics which helped the readers understand the political process. This graphic novel was informative and very well down. I think the author’s dedication to learning about Julia and her goals translated into a wonderful graphic novel.

[Matthew Noe]

Booklist review pending

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I not sure how I came across the graphic novel, but I read it in a few hours and liked it. I had vaguely heard of this NY state senator, but I didn't know much about her (nor do I really know much about New York politics, which sound absolutely brutal). This book is a great view into how a political operation works, and how politics in general work. Fascinating stuff.

Senator Julia Salazar is a Democratic-Socialist (like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) who wins her election and tries to, first, figure out how in the hell things work in Albany (Cliff Notes: badly) and second, how to actually affect change for the people whom she represents. There was a bit about political theory in there (mobilizing vs. organizing), a wee bit of anti-capitalist socialism/Marxism, and a whole lot of frustration, exhaustion, and--in a few spots--celebration. I liked this a lot, and I'm glad that I read it.

[Dhwani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating concept. Some of this could have been made clearer to follow, but loved that Warren just took the plunge and did this. Such a great educational lens for everyday politics.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a dark time that is getting steadily darker, it's great to read a book that gives you some hope. This smart and engaging book pulls you in, painlessly educates you, and grows increasingly suspenseful as it goes. Ought to be required reading in every civics class - and it's a fine gift for any dispirited friend or relative who thinks we are in a doom loop. (I gifted it once already and was delighted that it worked just as hoped - it worked faster than an SSRI and with no side effects.)

[Meredith Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This non-fiction graphic memoir follows cartoonist Sophia Warren as she went from paying no attention to New York politics to deciding to make a comic about state senator Julia Salazar on a whim -- which lead to her spending months deeply embedded with Salazar and her staff for their first year in office.

This is extremely good! Obviously, as a Canadian, my grasp of American politics (let alone state politics) is pretty minimal, but this cut into questions that I think are pretty universally applicable: how does organization or advocacy work, how do people get mobilized on issues, what does it mean to be part of a community (and what are your responsibilities / what are you ignoring). The art is consistent and charming, and while the pages are often pretty text-heavy for word bubbles, it's all broken down into a viewpoint that filters it to be easily readable.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tala · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC provided by Top Shelf Productions, IDW Publishing **

Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator follows Senator Julia Salazar following the blue wave in 2018.
Reading back to this time made it so bittersweet to how far we have fallen since in 2022. The decisions blocked and bought out by corporate Democrats will never not be frustrating. I highly recommend this for anyone who has questions regarding Democratic Socialism and why the Democratic party needs a total overhaul. Warren herself was new to it before her introduction to Salazar.

I hope Sofia Warren continues to publish more Graphic Novels.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir in graphic novel form about the year the author spent shadowing freshman NY State Senator Julia Salazar and her staff as they worked to pass rent laws and bolster tenant rights. The book reveals the demanding schedule, nonstop negotiating, and back room deals involved in government. Warren, a political neophyte herself, clearly explains intricate details of state government structure, policies, and bills, but the book is so weighed down with this material it is best for political junkies rather than those seeking a revealing portrait of a public servant.

[Destiny Hagenow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting glimpse into behind the scenes of a grassroots political movement. Great for any young adult who is interested in learning more about politics, socialism, and the complicated road to creating legislation.