Xolo Score 5/5
Advocate: A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice by Eddie Ahn is a heartwarming and profoundly relatable life journey about the difficulties of balancing personal aspirations, familial expectations, and advocating for environmental justice. Ahn, an environmental lawyer and activist from San Francisco, shares his path of growing up as the son of Korean immigrants, building resilience, and becoming a powerful voice for marginalized communities.
*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***
The memoir dives into Ahn’s the ups and downs of his personal and professional experiences, highlighting the tension between his parents’ traditional expectations and his commitment to pursuing a career with a social impact in the non-profit sector. Ahn has a particularly complex and strained relationship with his father because of their opposing career priorities. Over the years, however, they have understood each other’s perspectives and are working toward common ground. Ahn stands by his career in Environmentalism in the non-profit sector because helping his community is more valuable than a high-paying legal career, even if it’s physically and emotionally taxing.
Ahn’s humor and honesty make you feel like you’re conversing with a friend who’s been through some intense life moments but still manages to laugh about it. The graphic memoir format takes it to another level—his illustrations are vivid and emotional, bringing so much depth to the story. Each page combines personal reflection and big-picture thinking about issues like racism, poverty, and climate justice. His illustrations pull back the curtain on the challenging but impactful moments of non-profit work and advocacy that readers can appreciate.
Paving your path is complex, and it has pushed Ahn to continuously reevaluate his values and intentions as an empathetic son of immigrants who wants to help ease the lives most affected by climate change. Ultimately, Advocate shows readers that, at times, the weight of expectations can seem insurmountable, but trust yourself, and eventually, loved ones will accept your choices even if they don’t fully understand them.
Advocate is a heartfelt graphic memoir perfect for those committed to career and value alignment.
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| To what extent are there BIPOC perspectives in their analysis? | How well does the author avoid writing BIPOC experiences through the white gaze? | To what extent does the author challenge white-centered beliefs? | How well does the book explore nuances between intersectional identities? |
Score | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
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