Eddie

Ahn

Graphic Novelist & Artist

Environmental Attorney & Nonprofit Director

Travels from: San Francisco, CA

“Speaking to a packed house in Seattle’s celebrated Elliott Bay Book Company, Eddie wove personal stories with a larger sense of humanity and humor – making for a memorable blend of graphic storytelling and captivating discussion.” ― Daniel Tam-Claiborne, author of Transplants

Eddie Ahn has served as an environmental attorney for over 15 years, and he is also the writer and artist of Advocate, a graphic memoir published by Penguin Random House in 2024. While working as the executive director of Brightline Defense, a San Francisco–based environmental justice nonprofit, he has led and expanded the organization’s work and staff in environmental education, air quality monitoring, and advocacy for equity and clean energy. In December 2021, Eddie was inducted into the State of California’s Clean Energy Hall of Fame for this work. Prior to being a nonprofit attorney, he was an AmeriCorps member, teaching public speaking and arts workshops in Oakland’s Chinatown.

In addition to his nonprofit work for Brightline, Eddie has served on three commissions for local and state government agencies related to environmental policymaking: the San Francisco Commission on the Environment, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and Bay Conservation and Development Commission. He is a self-taught artist who has been recognized as a Cartoonist-in-Residence by the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. His art has been publicly installed as large art installations and on ten utility boxes throughout San Francisco.

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.

Eddie's Featured Titles

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

Ten Speed Graphic |

April 16, 2024

Graphic Novel

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • 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.

A WASHINGTON POST AND AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR • AN ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LITERATURE AWARD HONOREE

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 unthinkable: 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.

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage, Bestseller, BIPOC Representation, Environmental Concerns, Illustration & Graphic Storytelling, Memoir & Personal Journeys, Natural World, Nonfiction

ADVOCATE Short Presentation and Audience Q&A

The most typical presentation is 20 minutes, as I talk through themes and storytelling methods used throughout the book. Pages from the book are projected on to a large screen, and I don’t directly read from the panels – instead walking the audience through the visuals as well as weaving together personal stories and my nonprofit’s work.

The rest of the time (typically 40 minutes) is allotted for Q&A directly from the audience.

Graphic Novel-Making Workshop

I can talk through the value of comics and the mechanics of moving a story from panel to panel. This session is always tailored to the age of the audience, and can include an activity for younger audiences too.

Storytelling and Climate Change

A more focused presentation on climate change policy and its challenges.

“Gorgeously illustrated . . . Ahn’s dual journey as a self-taught artist and fierce advocate of environmental equality for disadvantaged communities forms the foundation of his insightful new book.” — Zack Ruskin, San Francisco Chronicle

“From a childhood gleaning his Korean family’s history to life as a lawyer, community advocate and self-taught artist, Ahn presents his path in sharp, tinted panels.” — The New York Times Book Review

“In his courageous debut graphic memoir, Advocate, environmental justice lawyer Eddie Ahn recounts the nonprofit work he has accomplished, as well as his experiences with racism and contending with his immigrant parents’ hopes . . . This memoir is intrepid and revealing about family inheritance and several aspects of social justice: race, money, and the environment.” — Shelf Awareness

“[Ahn’s] journey challenges traditional views of success and balancing personal aspirations with familial, individual, and cultural obligations. All the while, Ahn depicts working towards transformation by confronting critical issues, such as climate change and economic disparity. The graphic memoir thoughtfully explores social justice issues while inspiring a sterling call to action.” — PopMatters

“Humane and sensitive . . . Inspirational reading for progressives seeking to make a difference in the world.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Amid his tireless (and humble) advocacy, Ahn also proves himself as an impressive self-taught artist, including winning an art contest to beautify utility boxes throughout San Francisco. His debut memoir, too, is a remarkable achievement, full of clean lines, precise panels, exquisite details, and soft color washes. . . . An essential lesson for all.” — Booklist

“Ahn debuts with a warmhearted homage to community work that also captures the complex pressures on children of immigrants . . . readers who have heeded the call of people over profit will find resonance here.” — Publishers Weekly

Brightline Defense Link

Eddie’s Art

Honors, Awards & Recognition

USA Today Bestseller List
Charles M. Schulz Museum Cartoonist-in-Residence
A Washington Post and American Library Association Best Graphic Novel of the Year
An Asian Pacific American Literature Award Honoree
State of California, Clean Energy Hall of Fame, 2021