7 Things you Should Know About AOC

three images of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has done quite a lot to empower and fight for equality and progress at a time when it feels very needed. Many see this newly minted political leader as a beacon of hope for the day that Latinos will finally be recognized and working in positions of power.

Today we celebrate the birthday of the youngest congresswoman ever in the United States’ history, and to throw her a little party of our own we’ll share with you 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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez saying "it belongs to everyone"

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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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez saying "period"

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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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez saying "that is not acceptable"

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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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez saying "they have gotten it wrong"

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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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez clapping on the set of TV Show, "Desus & Mero"

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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

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez laughing

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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.

gif of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez saying "we must try"

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a woman giving the side eye to a man

Have you ever met someone who seems overly confident, self-centered, or even downright rude? Maybe they constantly talk about themselves, disregard your feelings, or even manipulate situations to their advantage. And, if you're anything like us and countless other Latinas, you might've thought, is this person just a purebred a**hole, or are they a narcissist?

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Image by Sayuri Jimenez.

Nathalie Molina Niño has never been one to shy away from breaking barriers, and now, she’s focusing her attention on a new mission: demystifying corporate boardrooms for women, especially Latinas. Molina Niño is the President of Known, an asset management and financial services firm, a veteran tech entrepreneur and builder capitalist, and a board member at the iconic lingerie Brand, Hanky Panky, and others.

Like many corporate boards, Hanky Panky hadn’t publicly disclosed its board composition until recently. After the brand survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Molina Niño decided it was time for more women, specifically more Latinas, to know what it means to be on corporate boards.

Coincidentally, the decision to finally be more vocal about this topic aligned with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which served as the perfect kick-off to the work.

"Something that rarely gets talked about and I think almost gets kept opaque by design is boards,” she explains in a recent Instagram announcement. “[This Latinx Heritage Month], that’s what I’ll be talking about.” Her goal? To equip more Latinas with the knowledge they need to navigate onto for-profit boards, where they can thrive and build multi-generational wealth.

For-profit corporate boards often feel like an exclusive club. And in many ways, they are, especially for Latinas, who hold the smallest percentage of board seats in Fortune 500 companies compared to other racial groups. According to the latest report from Latino Board Monitor, while Latinos hold 4.1% of these board seats (compared to 82.5% held by white people), only 1% go to Latinas. Molina Niño, a first-generation American of Ecuadorian and Colombian descent, is part of this boardroom minority.

When asked about her experience as a Latina board member during a recent Zoom interview, she said, “It’s been lonely. There’s not a lot of Latinas on boards.” She went on to explain that even serving on boards of Latina-founded businesses gets lonely because, “A lot of the times, people who serve on their boards represent their investors and, as a result, [...] you still don’t see a lot of Latinas on those boards.”

This lack of representation drives Molina Niño’s determination to increase Latina presence in corporate boardrooms. By sharing her insights, she hopes to give Latinas a roadmap to claim their seats at the table. “If you don’t know where to go, it’s impossible to figure out how to get there,” she says.

The Road to the Boardroom

Getting onto a for-profit corporate board isn’t an overnight achievement, but it’s not an unattainable dream either. People often think you need to be a CEO or have a certain type of background, but that’s one of the biggest myths about boards in Molina Niño’s experience. What they’re really looking for is expertise — whether that’s in finance, marketing, sustainability, or even technology. If you have that expertise, you’re already an asset. It’s simply a matter of which road you should take.

Understanding what boards are and how they operate is key to unlocking opportunities. For-profit boards serve as the governing body for companies, overseeing direction and financial stability, and guiding CEOs and executives in decision-making. But Molina Niño emphasizes that not all for-profit boards are created equal.

“There are two kinds [of for-profit boards] [...]. There’s the publicly traded business board and then, on the privately held side, there are, I would argue, two types of boards [...] the traditional business board and the venture-backed business board,” explains Molina Niño. Traditional businesses are often family-owned or long-established and may only form boards to meet requirements, like securing financing or transitioning through an ESOP. Venture-backed boards, on the other hand, are typically filled by investors who hold major stakes in the company.

According to Molina Niño, understanding the difference between them is how you can create a successful strategy. With publicly traded business boards, the whole world is privy to them, so, “The way that you get in there is a little bit more transparent. Sometimes those publicly traded companies will hire a recruiter to help them find new board members,” explains Molina Niño. For private companies, on the other hand, there’s no legal requirement to make announcements. As a result, most people don’t know anything about them or their inner workings.

“Usually what happens in traditional businesses that don’t have venture-capital investments is that the Founders, Executives, or the board members, if one existed already, they usually go to their friends,” and people they deem experienced to fill board seats. In other words, it’s the founder’s decision, and that’s an entirely different approach than hiring recruiters. When it comes to venture-backed business boards, the seats on the board are filled by whichever investor writes the biggest check.

This is why an understanding of the different types of boards and acknowledgment of their own strengths is what will help Latinas define a sound strategy. Whether that’s working with a recruiter, networking and connecting with founders to build trust, or making the biggest investment.

The Path for Latinas

For Molina Niño, the key to getting more Latinas into corporate boardrooms is education. Knowing what a board looks like and how it functions is how you can position yourself to get on it. In openly talking about this, without the mystique it’s usually shrouded in, Molina Niño is providing women, especially Latinas, with invaluable insights. “If we had Latinas understanding what are the three types of for-profit boards I think that, on their own, they would be able to figure out what their best chance is and adjust their careers to make themselves more competitive,” states Molina Niño.

When asked about the impact of increased Latina representation in boardrooms, Molina Niño flips the narrative. “Boards don’t help Latinas by offering them seats; Latinas help businesses thrive by being on their boards,” she says. “The whole point of sitting on a board is that you have experience and expertise, and as Latinas, you also have some cultural experience that everyone wants. [...] At the end of the day, we [Latinas] have to realize that we have a ton to offer and we have to be selective about where we put that expertise,” she explains.

As demand for access to the Latina consumer rises, Molina Niño predicts that more Latinas will find themselves recruited into boardrooms. But she’s not content to sit back and wait for that moment. By openly sharing her journey and insights, she’s making sure other Latinas know their worth and have the tools to claim their place at the table. “I realized that quietly being on boards that helped me personally is not helping other Latinas. [...] I was lucky enough to have friends who could advise me and share their experiences, so that’s why I’m doing this,” she stated.

With Hispanic Heritage Month as the backdrop, Nathalie Molina Niño’s mission is clear: “My goal is just to give Latinas enough information so they can make a plan for how to eventually get on a board that they’re paid to be on and that will eventually help them build generational wealth.”

flags of latin american countries fly behind performers wearing culturally traditional clothing

Ever noticed how September in Latin America is just one big celebration? As we wave goodbye to summer and avoid winter as long as we can, the streets come alive with parades, music, and festivities. Many Latin American countries celebrate their freedom this month, commemorating their hard-fought battles for independence from colonial domination. Let’s dive into these significant days and understand what makes each unique.

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