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.
In order to create more equitable opportunities for small businesses and workers, Rep. AOC has voted for legislation that would increase community workforce training, apprenticeship programs and support for small businesses. She proudly supports the Federal Jobs Guarantee Act, introduced by Representative Pressley, because anyone who is willing and able to work shouldn’t struggle to find employment. The Congresswoman’s Green New Deal would also create millions of good-paying union jobs and help create the most unionized workforce in a generation. For more on the Congresswoman’s work on this issue, please read on below.