ABOUT ME

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) is an American politician and activist who has served as the U.S. representative for New York’s 14th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she is known for her progressive policies and advocacy.

Born on October 13, 1989, in the Bronx, New York City, Ocasio-Cortez later moved to Yorktown Heights, where she attended school. She studied at Boston University, earning a degree in international relations and economics with honors. After graduation, she returned to the Bronx, becoming involved in activism while working as a waitress and bartender.

Her political breakthrough came on June 26, 2018, when she won the Democratic primary for New York’s 14th congressional district, defeating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley in a major upset. She went on to win the general election against Republican Anthony Pappas and was reelected in 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Taking office at 29, Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and the first female member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in the House, alongside Rashida Tlaib. She champions a progressive platform that includes Medicare for All, tuition-free public colleges, a federal jobs guarantee, worker cooperatives, the Green New Deal, and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a key figure in the Democratic Party’s left-wing faction, she is also a member of "The Squad," a group of progressive lawmakers.