According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, an advocate is one who defends, maintains, or pleads the cause for another. This 
word functions as both noun and verb—a role that Eddie Ahn plays out unwaveringly in his graphic memoir Advocate. Multifaceted and heroically moving, this debut chronicles the obstacles and episodic milestones that led him towards his present-day role as an environmental justice attorney and policy maker for a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco.
In 2005, Eddie’s story begins while sorting through his grandfather’s family photos and papers. From there, the narrative segues into his humble beginnings at an afterschool program in Oakland’s Chinatown where he taught and mentored youth from immigrant families. His parents emigrated from South Korea to study in the US, settling in Austin, Texas where they ran a retail liquor store. They held high hopes that he would pursue a lucrative career in law. Little did they realize the detours he would undertake after starting law school in San Francisco. From his years as a college student with outstanding loans to his sudden shift in joining a public nonprofit organization (Brightline Defense), coupled by an unexpected turn on San Francisco’s Commission on the Environment where he championed environmental justice causes, Eddie’s primary goal prevailed—to build relationships and foster engagement and solidarity to benefit underrepresented communities.
Each phase of his career and life transitions, captured in varying shades of muted emerald green, light pink, and sea blue, document his steadfast service to the community. Whether serving on a commission in city government, meeting community leaders in underserved districts, or installing air quality sensors in low-income neighborhoods, he strove to enact policies and legal change to tackle racial and economic inequality. He even found time to showcase his artwork on outdoor utility boxes throughout the city’s Richmond district. His earnest narrative voice propels readers through the challenges of upholding environmental justice and community service at the expense of burnout, as well as grappling with microaggressive bouts of anti-Asian hate at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Drawing upon his skills as a cartoonist, he illustrates local communities with fine precision and detail, depicting familiar icons around the San Francisco bay area including local eateries, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) public transit system, City Hall, and residential neighborhoods.
In episodic bildungsroman fashion, Advocate presents an intersectional trajectory of Eddie’s life as a dutiful son, inspirational youth mentor, diligent law student, intrepid environmental justice attorney, public advocate, self-taught comic book artist, and more. Additional front and back matter highlight sketches of scenic locations, photos, and insights that inspired the creation of this stunningly crafted graphic memoir, transforming it into a literary and visual gem for adult biographical collections. Overall, this enduring multilayered story delivers a message of relentless hope and commitment marked by excellence through connecting with others in the spirit of community building and service to the world at large.
Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental JusticeÂ
By Eddie Ahn
Ten Speed Press, 2024
ISBN: 9781984862495
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
Creator Representation:Â Korean-American,
Character Representation:Â Korean-American,
