“I felt like the only way to effectively run for office is if you had access to a lot of wealth, high social influence, a lot of dynastic power, and I knew that I didn't have any of those things.”

American politician and activist, since 2019

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, is an American politician and activist who has served since 2019 as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America. She has built her public profile around electoral politics and activism, with her congressional work placing her among the more closely watched figures in contemporary American politics. Her statements often reflect the priorities of her political work and the broader causes she supports through public advocacy.