Born in the Parkchester neighborhood of The Bronx, Alexandria’s parents moved the family 30 minutes north to Yorktown in search of a stronger public school for her and her brother. Alexandria’s mother was born and raised in Puerto Rico and worked throughout her childhood as a domestic worker. Alexandria’s father was a second-generation Bronxite, who ran a small business in The Bronx. Throughout her childhood, Representative Ocasio-Cortez traveled regularly to The Bronx to spend time with her extended family. From an early age, the stark contrast in educational opportunities available to her and her cousins, based on their respective zip codes, made an impression on her.
Rep. AOC serves on the Select Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth, which was started in January 2021 to develop solutions to income inequality. Rep. AOC was specifically tasked with addressing generational disparities and increasing worker power in the economy. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congresswoman introduced monumental legislation to require $15/hour, paid leave, and equity compensation for workers at any corporation receiving federal assistance. She has advocated for raising the poverty line as the current federal definition is completely behind today’s cost of living. She’s also introduced measures to provide a public option to Wall Street Banks through the Public Banking Act. For more on the Congresswoman’s work on this issue, please see below.