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.
Representative Ocasio-Cortez supports a process of self-determination for Puerto Rico, under which residents of the Island could choose between statehood, free association, independence or another arrangement other than its current colonial status. She believes that Congress imposing any one option on Puerto Rico would be the culmination of colonization. Under her proposed legislation with Rep. Nydia Velazquez and Senator Bob Menendez, Puerto Ricans would first elect delegates to a 'status convention,' where they come up with a solution for the island’s territorial status. A referendum vote will then be held on the island to allow Puerto Ricans to vote on the delegates' recommendations. This bill was informed by groups on the Island and is endorsed by over 80 progressive organizations. The bill is status-agnostic. If after undergoing the process, the triumphant option is statehood, Rep. AOC will not oppose.
Rep. AOC has also been active in demanding additional resources for the Island, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and other natural disasters. She supports a Marshall Plan that centers a community-led, sustainable, and just recovery effort. Additionally, she advocates for the cancellation of all of Puerto Rico's debt, an immediate review of the Jones Act, and a repeal of the PROMESA Act. For more information on the Puerto Rico related legislation Representative Ocasio-Cortez supports, please see below.