7 Things You Should Know About AOC

She is a Democratic-Socialist   

This means she supports free healthcare and education for all, including secondary education. Not to be confused with a socialist or communist, a democratic socialist believes in a democratic form of government that provides a strong social safety net for its people. This would mean that the tax system operates fairly and people with hundreds of millions and billions of dollars would be paying the same tax rate that middle-class people pay. The additional revenue would make free colleges and universities available, minimize if not erase the need for student loans, and access to quality healthcare for all Americans, no matter their economic status.

Her climate proposal may be just what we need to stop climate change before it’s too late

The Green New Deal is a proposal that looks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 0 by 2050 by investing money in building climate-friendly infrastructure. These green jobs not only create more employment opportunities but also reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

She’s proud of her previous occupation as a bartender, as she should be

When she was elected as a member of Congress, many in the opposing Republican party, the media, and even the public, tried to shame her due to her previous occupation as a bartender – as if there’s anything wrong with being a hard-working member of the service industry. Her answer to the attempted shaming?

It certainly is revealing, classist, and very telling of exactly what these individuals think of The United States working class.

She studied economics and international relations at Boston University

While so many people have tried to undermine her as a professional, she is also formerly educated and has political experience. While she was studying for her degree at Boston University, she also interned for late Senator Ted Kennedy.

She’s the youngest woman in U.S. history to be elected to congress

This goes to show how bright and dedicated she is, to make it to Congress at such a young age is something many people admire. Many have noted she becomes eligible to run for President in 2024. President Ocasio-Cortez anyone? After what has transpired in the last few years in the U.S. political landscape, anything is possible.

She gave us a tiny glimpse of her personal life in the Netflix Documentary: Knock Down the House

She’s very tight-lipped when it comes to her personal life, as she has the right to be, but this Netflix documentary made us feel like the public knows her character even better now. Her partner Riley Robert was featured, who is very loved by her family. They have been together for five years, and are parents to Deco, an adorable french bulldog

She has called for “Solidarity for Puerto Rico

Being from a Puerto Rican family herself, she has extensively advocated for the civil rights of Puerto Ricans and disaster relief. She was an active voice in FEMA’s response when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and continues to actively fight for the Federal Government to address Puerto Rico’s political status.