America these days seems like a horrible nightmare. Protests are happening daily, mass shootings are on the rise, journalists can't stop yelling at each other on TV, and our president is... orange.
But in the dark always shines a brighter light and this light may be potential Congresswoman of New York's 14th District, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She's fierce, she's relatable, and she's a fresh breath of air.
Here are a few ways she is changing America (and hopefully will change as a Congresswoman):
1. She unseated a powerful Democratic representative.
No one was expecting this. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez upset Joe Crawley, a powerful representative that had the title "King of Queens." He's held the position for 10 terms.
2. She rejected corporate donations.
Seventy percent of Ocasio-Cortez's donations were under $200, compared with 0.78% of Crowley's. And while Crowley raised nearly $3 million for his reelection campaign, Ocasio-Cortez raised just $600,000.
3. She's not scared to call herself a socialist.
The word "socialism" is scary for many Americans. But Ocasio-Cortez puts her issues first and her label second. She has clearly stated from the beginning that she believes in Medicare for all, a federal jobs guarantee, abolishing ICE, and more.
4. She's from the working class.
Born in the Bronx to two working-class parents, Ocasio-Cortez understood at a young age that the zip code a child is born into determined much of their destiny. She had to commute 40 minutes to Yorktown every day for school because of the sad state of public schools in the Bronx.
After studying at Boston University, Ocasio-Cortez returned to the Bronx to pursue work in the areas that affected her growing up. As the markets crashed in 2008, her father passed away from lung cancer and she found herself working two jobs and 18 hours shifts in restaurants to help her family keep their home. The rest of her story can be found here.
5. When she talks, she means it.
When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks, she does so with a strong, confident voice. She knows her platform, she understands her voters, and most importantly, she cares.
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