Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 14th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Crowley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 13, 1989 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Working Families Party Democratic Socialists of America |
| Domestic partner | Riley Roberts (engaged 2022) |
| Education | Boston University (BA) |
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| Website | |
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. Since 2019, she has been the U.S. Representative for New York's 14th congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. She graduated with honors from Boston University with degrees in international relations and economics. After college, she worked as a waitress and bartender while also being an activist.
In 2018, she gained national attention by winning a primary election against Joe Crowley, a powerful 10-term congressman. This was seen as a major upset victory. She then easily won the main election in November 2018. She was reelected in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
When she took office at age 29, Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She is known for her progressive ideas, such as Medicare for All, tuition-free public college, and the Green New Deal. She is a leading voice for the left-wing part of the Democratic Party and a member of a group of progressive members of Congress known as "The Squad".
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, on October 13, 1989. Her father, Sergio Ocasio-Roman, was an architect, and her mother, Blanca Ocasio-Cortez, was born in Puerto Rico. She has a younger brother named Gabriel. When she was five, her family moved to a small house in Yorktown Heights, a suburb of New York City.
Ocasio-Cortez went to Yorktown High School and graduated in 2007. In high school, she was very interested in science. She won second place in a major science fair for a project on how antioxidants affect the lifespan of a type of worm. Because of her work, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory named a small asteroid after her: 23238 Ocasio-Cortez.
Her father passed away from lung cancer in 2008 while she was in college. This was a difficult time for her family. During college, she worked as an intern for U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, helping people who spoke Spanish. In 2011, she graduated with honors from Boston University with degrees in international relations and economics.
Early Career and Activism
After graduating, Ocasio-Cortez moved back to the Bronx. She worked as a bartender and waitress to help her mother, who was a house cleaner and bus driver, save their home from foreclosure. She also worked for the nonprofit National Hispanic Institute.
In 2016, she worked as an organizer for Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign. After the election, she traveled across the country. She visited places like Flint, Michigan, to talk to people affected by the Flint water crisis, and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota.
Her visit to Standing Rock was a turning point. She saw people risking everything to protect their community. This inspired her to work for her own community in New York. Soon after, a group called Brand New Congress called her. They were looking for new, progressive people to run for office.
Elections
2018: A Surprise Victory
Ocasio-Cortez started her campaign in April 2017 while still working as a bartender. She was the first person in 14 years to challenge the powerful incumbent, Joe Crowley, in the Democratic primary. Her campaign was a grassroots effort, meaning it was powered by ordinary people and volunteers, not large corporations.
On June 26, 2018, Ocasio-Cortez won the primary election with 57% of the vote. This shocked many political experts, as Crowley had much more money and experience. Her victory was seen as one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 elections.
In the general election on November 6, she faced Republican Anthony Pappas. The 14th district is heavily Democratic, and she won easily with 78% of the vote. Her election was part of a "blue wave" where Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives.
2020 and 2022 Elections
Ocasio-Cortez was challenged in the 2020 Democratic primary but won with a large majority. She went on to win the general election again. During the campaign, she famously played the video game Among Us on Twitch with other politicians and popular streamers to encourage people to vote. The stream was a huge success, with over 400,000 viewers.
In 2022, she ran for reelection and won again, defeating Republican Tina Forte.
2024 Election
Ocasio-Cortez won her primary election against a more moderate Democrat. She then won the general election against Tina Forte again. Interestingly, some people in her district voted for both her and Donald Trump in the presidential election. Analysts said this might be because both politicians focused on issues important to working-class families.
Time in Congress
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Taking office at age 29, Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever to serve in the U.S. Congress. She quickly became known for her large social media following. She has millions of followers on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, which she uses to communicate directly with the public.
In February 2019, a video of her questioning former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen in a hearing went viral. Her sharp questions were praised for helping to uncover important information. This questioning led to a major investigation by the New York attorney general.
The Squad
Ocasio-Cortez is a member of "the Squad", an informal group of progressive women of color in Congress. The original members included Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib. The group has since grown to include other members who share their progressive goals.
In 2019, President Donald Trump attacked the Squad in a series of tweets, telling them to "go back" to the countries they came from. Three of the four members, including Ocasio-Cortez, were born in the United States. She responded that his words were the "hallmark language of white supremacists" and that loving your country means trying to fix its problems.
Green New Deal
In February 2019, Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey introduced the Green New Deal. It is a bold plan to fight climate change and economic inequality at the same time. The plan calls for a 10-year effort to switch the U.S. to 100% clean energy, upgrade buildings, and create high-paying jobs.
The Green New Deal has been supported by many progressive groups and politicians. However, it has also faced strong opposition, especially from Republicans.
January 6 Capitol Attack
During the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Ocasio-Cortez was in her office. She later shared on Instagram Live that she had a very frightening experience. She said she hid in her office bathroom and thought she was going to die. She described the event as deeply traumatic.
Key Political Positions
Ocasio-Cortez is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). She believes in a society and economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy. She is inspired by countries like Norway and Sweden, which have strong social safety nets.
- Healthcare: She supports Medicare for All, a single-payer healthcare system where the government provides health insurance for every American.
- Education: She wants to make public colleges and trade schools tuition-free and cancel all student debt.
- Environment: She is the main supporter of the Green New Deal to address climate change.
- Economy: She supports raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans to pay for social programs. She also supports a $15 federal minimum wage and stronger rights for workers.
- Immigration: She has been a strong critic of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the conditions at migrant detention centers on the border.
- Foreign Policy: She has criticized U.S. military involvement in other countries and has been a vocal critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians. She has called for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Personal Life
Ocasio-Cortez's family has roots in Puerto Rico. She is a Catholic and has said her faith influences her work for social justice.
She is engaged to her longtime partner, Riley Roberts, a web developer. They live in Queens, New York. She has a pet French Bulldog named Deco.
Awards and Honors
- In 2007, the MIT Lincoln Laboratory named an asteroid, 23238 Ocasio-Cortez, after her for her achievement in a high school science fair.
- In 2019, she was named one of the BBC 100 Women.
See also
In Spanish: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez para niños
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
- Puerto Ricans in New York City
