Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, widely known by her initials AOC, was born on October 13, 1989, in New York City. She grew up in the Bronx and later moved with her family to Yorktown, New York. Her mother was born and raised in Puerto Rico and worked as a domestic worker, while her father was a second-generation Bronx resident who operated a small business.

Ocasio-Cortez attended Yorktown High School and later studied economics and international relations at Boston University. Before entering electoral politics, she worked in several roles, including education and community-oriented work.

In 2018, Ocasio-Cortez ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 14th Congressional District. She won the Democratic primary and subsequently the general election. She took office on January 3, 2019, becoming a member of the 116th Congress.

Since entering Congress, Ocasio-Cortez has been associated with policy issues including climate change, health care, economic policy, labor, immigration and Puerto Rico. Her official congressional website describes her climate agenda and other legislative priorities, while her foreign-policy page states that she emphasizes human rights in U.S. foreign policy.

In the 119th Congress, she serves as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, including its Energy, Health, and Oversight and Investigations areas.

Her congressional work has included introducing and supporting legislation on climate policy, health care, economic issues, government ethics and community funding. In 2026, for example, her office announced legislation concerning artificial-intelligence data centers and submitted community-project funding requests for New York's 14th District.

Ocasio-Cortez has also become a prominent public communicator through social media, congressional hearings, interviews and public events. Her rise to national prominence has made her a notable figure in contemporary American politics.

As of 2026, Ocasio-Cortez continues to serve as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th Congressional District.