4 ways Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has shaken up Washington: the millennial politician is never far from the headlines, from her ‘tone-deaf’ Met Gala dress and Green New Deal to pushing Joe Biden on Gaza
- While coming up she supported senator Ted Kennedy and worked on Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, then in 2018 she beat the Democratic incumbent to represent New York’s 14th District
- She is known for being a member of ‘The Squad’ – a group of young progressive representatives – alongside Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush, Summer Lee and Delia Ramirez
You may have heard her question Big Pharma in Congress, seen the Netflix documentary that chronicled her rise in politics (Knock Down the House), or followed her 2021 Met Gala dress controversy that divided many.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – or AOC, as she’s most often called – has been a controversial figure since she entered the political scene, emphasising the need for generational, racial and ideological change in the US. Here’s what you need to know about the left-wing, self-proclaimed socialist democrat.
1. Just a dress?
It’s impossible to think of the 2021 Met Gala without remembering AOC’s white gown that stole the show. The custom Brother Vellies organza dress with the message “Tax the Rich” emblazoned across it sparked plenty of controversy for obvious reasons: especially as she was at the Met Gala along with many of the well-connected rich. She was called tone-deaf by some and supported by others for raising awareness. Per BBC, she was later investigated over claims that she had violated Congressional rules by “accepting impermissible gifts” related to the event. The politician denied wrongdoing.
2. Making history, making herself heard
Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress, and the youngest member of the 116th Congress. A native of New York’s Bronx neighbourhood, she was born in 1989 to a father who owned an architecture company while her mother cleaned houses.
Ocasio-Cortez was 18 when she lost her father to cancer, which led to her family having financial trouble. She was forced to take on multiple jobs to pay off student loans. Her 2018 financial disclosure while running for Congress revealed that she was paying off US$25,000 in student debt, per Time. After graduating from Boston University with degrees in economics and international relations, she worked as a waitress and bartender to make ends meet.
While at university, AOC met her long-time partner, Riley Roberts. Roberts proposed to her in Puerto Rico in 2022, People magazine reported.