On November 6, 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was elected as a U.S Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district. She made history that same night, becoming the youngest woman to be elected into congress, a feat that is made all the more impressive considering she beat out an incumbent, Joe Crowley, who had been in office for ten terms.
Ocasio-Cortez, also referred to as AOC, is revolutionary for a variety of reasons. As a young, Latina woman, she represents the future of the U.S and how we are moving forward as a more progressive, diverse nation — her fellow freshman congressmen and women help further prove this, many of which also occupy spaces of firsts — that can hopefully evolve to meet the needs of a new society. As a young progressive, AOC is unapologetic about her openness and willingness to bring about change. When placed together, though, these two qualities have somehow sparked what feels like more criticism than acclaim.
Ever since she became well known as a public figure — not only through her activism but through her “millenial”-like approachability — it seems that AOC has been heralded as much as she has been criticized. Scandals have erupted as a result of her personal finances, her clothing, a video of her dancing in college, among other things both trivial and non-trivial. It seems as though every day, she is in the headlines once again, and more often than not, it has little to do with her policy and everything to do with the inability to handle the success of a young woman of color.
Though her policies and frameworks are generally liked by the public — 45% of self-identified Republicans approved of her proposed marginal tax rates — it seems she can’t catch a break. The truth is, the United States hasn’t seen this much change within its own halls since 2008. Trump’s election, and the radical backtrack in progress that has flourished since, has made us forget how desperately we need to consistently work at diversifying those that make the decisions for us from within. AOC, and the movement she represents, takes us in that direction.
Whether it’s through her unapologetic conviction, her game-changing red lipstick, or her Instagram Lives, AOC is and will be a force to be reckoned with — something we can, and should, all look up to.