Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, also known as AOC, is a representative, politician, activist, and the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress.
Born on October 13, 1989, Alexandira is known for speaking her mind regardless of those who were prejudiced against her. Her parents were born and raised in Puerto Rico but decided to move closer to Yorktown in search of a better education for Alexandria and her brother. AOC graduated from Boston University with degrees in economics and international relations. She was able to intern under Ted Kennedy’s senator’s office. Here was when she experienced injustices between families as ICE separated them. This inspired her to organize and lead Latin X youth in the Bronx and the U.S.
Alexandria sought out more ways to help the Latinx community and soon began working as an Educational Director with the National Hispanic Institute. With her institute, she was able to help the youth, documented or not, in community leadership and college opportunities. In 2016, she decided to volunteer to help Bernie Sanders in The Bronx and in return, learned more about electoral organizing and activism skills. In 2019, she was able to pass the Green New Deal resolution which puts millions to work good-paying union jobs, reduces air and water pollution, and disputes between economic, social, and climate issues in the U.S.
During her first term in Congress, she saw around three amendments pass despite the control of the Republicans over the senate and presidency. One of the three obtained about five million dollars from failed drug wars for treatment for opioid addiction instead. The second made ten million dollars to clean up toxic waste sites in Puerto Rico. Finally, AOC worked tirelessly with Senator Schumer to organize a Funeral Assistance program into the COVID-19 relief package and was able to compensate over a billion dollars in funeral expenses to those who lost loved ones to the virus. These are just a few prime examples of the vast list of ways Alexandria Ocasio has helped millions of people during her time in Congress. She truly is an inspiration who will never be forgotten.
