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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born on October 13, 1989, in the Bronx, New York City. She is the daughter of Sergio Ocasio-Roman, an architect of Puerto Rican descent, and Blanca Ocasio-Cortez (née Cortez), who was born in Puerto Rico. She has a younger brother named Gabriel. Until the age of five, her family lived in an apartment in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx before moving to a house in Yorktown Heights, a suburban town where her mother worked as a house cleaner to support their home purchase.

Early life and education

Ocasio-Cortez attended Yorktown High School, graduating in 2007. During this time, she was known as "Sandy Ocasio" and excelled academically. She placed second in the microbiology category at the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair with research on the impact of antioxidants on the lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In recognition of her achievement, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory named an asteroid after her: 23238 Ocasio-Cortez. She also participated in the National Hispanic Institute's Lorenzo de Zavala (LDZ) Youth Legislative Session and later served as LDZ Secretary of State while attending Boston University. Additionally, she was a recipient of the John F. Lopez Fellowship.

In 2008, during her second year of college, her father passed away from lung cancer, leading to a prolonged probate dispute over his estate. Ocasio-Cortez has described this experience as eye-opening, giving her first-hand insight into how court-appointed attorneys can profit at the expense of grieving families navigating complex legal processes.

While studying at Boston University, she interned for U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, working in his office on foreign affairs and immigration issues. As the only Spanish speaker on the team, she was responsible for assisting Spanish-speaking constituents. In 2011, she graduated cum laude from Boston University with a bachelor's degree in international relations and economics.

Early career

After graduating from college, Ocasio-Cortez returned to the Bronx, where she worked as a bartender and waitress to help her mother—a house cleaner and school bus driver—prevent their home from being foreclosed. She also founded Brook Avenue Press, a now-defunct publishing venture aimed at promoting positive portrayals of the Bronx. In addition, she was involved with the nonprofit organization National Hispanic Institute, focusing on leadership development for Latino youth.

During the 2016 Democratic primary, Ocasio-Cortez worked as an organizer for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign. Following the general election, she embarked on a cross-country trip, visiting communities affected by environmental and social issues, including Flint, Michigan, during the water crisis and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota, where activists were protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. Reflecting on her December 2016 visit to Standing Rock, she described it as a turning point, realizing that political power wasn’t solely reserved for the wealthy and well-connected. Witnessing people risking everything for their communities inspired her to take action for her own.

The day after her trip to North Dakota, Ocasio-Cortez received a call from Brand New Congress, a progressive political group recruiting grassroots candidates. Unbeknownst to her, her brother had nominated her soon after the 2016 election. Around this time, she was introduced to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) after attending a meeting in Upper Manhattan, where members were advocating for warehouse workers’ rights. She was particularly struck by the group’s commitment to accessibility, including the provision of free childcare during meetings. She later credited Jabari Brisport’s City Council campaign with reigniting her belief in electoral politics, encouraging her to run as a socialist candidate, and strengthening her commitment to the DSA.