AOC, also known as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is a left-wing American politician and activist who has served as the U.S. representative for New York’s 14th congressional district since 2019.
She was born in The Bronx and spent much of her childhood in Yorktown, graduating from Boston University with degrees in economics and international relations.
In 2018, AOC ran for Congress in New York’s 14th district, challenging incumbent Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary and defeating him in a major upset.
Since taking office, she has introduced several significant pieces of legislation, including the Green New Deal resolution, the Loan Shark Prevention Act and the Just Society bills.
AOC has also been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform and has spoken publicly about her own experiences with mental health.
She has been praised for her effective questioning in committee hearings and her ability to communicate complex policy issues in a way that resonates with ordinary people.
AOC won re-election in 2022 with over 70% of the votes.
| Net worth | Disputed |
| Profession | Politician, activist |
| Date of birth | October 13, 1989 |
| Nationality | American |
Background
AOC was born on October 13, 1989, in the Bronx, New York City.
She was born to a working-class Puerto Rican family and grew up in the Bronx.
AOC’s father, Sergio Ocasio-Roman, was of Puerto Rican descent and owned a small architectural firm.
Her mother, Blanca Ocasio-Cortez, was born in Puerto Rico and cleaned houses.
When AOC was about five years old, her parents moved her and her younger brother, Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez, to Yorktown Heights, an affluent suburb located 45 miles north of New York City, in search of better educational opportunities.
AOC graduated cum laude from Boston University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and economics.
During college, she interned at the foreign affairs and immigration office of Sen. Ted Kennedy, where she worked until his death in 2009.
After college, AOC worked as a bartender in Manhattan and as a waitress in a taqueria.
She also established a publishing firm, Brook Avenue Press, which specializes in children’s literature that portrays the Bronx in a positive light.
AOC worked as lead educational strategist at GAGEis, Inc. and was an educator at the nonprofit National Hispanic Institute.
In 2016, she worked as an organizer for Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign.
In 2018, AOC ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s 14th congressional district and defeated incumbent Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary.
She was elected to Congress in November 2018 and assumed office on January 3, 2019, becoming the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress.
AOC identifies as a democratic socialist and is known for her progressive politics and for her skillful use of social media.
Her father died of lung cancer in 2008, leaving no will and putting her and her family under immense financial strain.
AOC has also spoken about how her experience with immigration issues and her family’s struggles have influenced her political views and her commitment to issues impacting working-class people.
Net worth
AOC does not have a net worth of $29 million.
This claim has been debunked by Reuters and other fact-checking organizations.
Her most recent financial disclosure, filed in 2021, shows that she had between $3,003 and $45,000 in assets, including her 401k pension plan, and owed at least $15,000 in student debts.
Forbes has denied releasing any estimate of her net worth, and no other reliable source for the claim has been cited.
Early career
AOC had a diverse career before entering politics.
She worked as a bartender in Manhattan, a waitress in a taqueria and established a publishing firm called Brook Avenue Press, focusing on children’s literature that showcased the Bronx positively.
Additionally, AOC served as a lead educational strategist at GAGEis, Inc. and was an educator at the nonprofit National Hispanic Institute.
Furthermore, in 2016, she worked as an organizer for Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign, showcasing her involvement in various fields before transitioning into her political career.
Political career
AOC political career began with grassroots organizing, including volunteering for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign.
Her rise to prominence came through an unexpected victory in the 2018 Democratic primary against incumbent Joe Crowley.
AOC ran on a progressive platform advocating for policies like Medicare for All, tuition-free college, criminal justice reform, and ending private prisons.
Her campaign focused on issues such as expanding Medicare, immigration reform, a $15 minimum wage and housing as a human right.
AOC emphasizes progressive policies like the Green New Deal and a federal jobs guarantee.
Her victory marked a significant shift in the Democratic Party towards more progressive ideals, challenging the status quo and advocating for policies that prioritize the needs of everyday Americans over corporate interests.
AOC’s approach to politics is characterized by a focus on movements and long-term change rather than short-term electoral gains, aiming to define the agenda for the next two decades.
Her political career has been marked by her ability to connect with a new generation of Democrats and her commitment to pushing for more progressive policies within the party.
Political endorsement
AOC is known for her advocacy for progressive ideals such as workplace democracy, single-payer Medicare for All, tuition-free public college and trade school, a federal job guarantee, the cancellation of all student debt, guaranteed family leave, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ending the privatization of prisons, enacting gun-control policies and energy policy relying on 100% renewables.
When it comes to political endorsements, she has endorsed candidates who align with her progressive values.
For example, AOC endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, citing his rejection of corporate PAC money, his championing of Medicare for All and the Green New Deal and his advocacy for working people as reasons for her endorsement.
She has also endorsed other progressive candidates, such as Rashida Tlaib for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.
However, AOC’s political endorsements have not been without controversy.
In 2024, she endorsed President Joe Biden for re-election, which was seen by some as a departure from her progressive values and a move towards the political center.
This endorsement was made during a time when Biden was facing questions about his mental acuity and the Democratic Party was looking for surrogates to defend him.
AOC’s endorsement was seen as a boost for Biden’s campaign and a signal that she was willing to work within the Democratic Party establishment.
Awards and honors
In 2007, AOC won a prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for her microbiology research.
The MIT Lincoln Laboratory named an asteroid after her when she was a senior in high school.
In 2017, she was named the National Hispanic Institute Person of the Year by Ernesto Nieto.
Additionally, in 2019, AOC received the Adelle Foley Award and was named one of the 2019 BBC 100 Women.
These accolades highlight her achievements and contributions in various fields, showcasing her impact beyond politics.
LGBTQ equality
AOC is a strong advocate for LGBTQ equality and has worked on various policies to support the community.
She has advocated for making schools safe for LGBTQIA+ students, granting asylum to refugees fleeing persecution due to their sexuality or gender identity, restoring open service by transgender people in the military, ending discrimination in healthcare and supporting the Equality Act.
AOC has also been active in advocating for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people of color, who often face high rates of discrimination in areas such as housing and healthcare.
She has spoken out against the criminalization of LGBTQIA+ identities and the disproportionate incarceration rates and police violence faced by members of the community, particularly those who are members of multiple oppressed communities.
In addition to her work on LGBTQIA+ issues, AOC has been a vocal proponent of the Equality Act, a bill that would expand LGBTQ civil rights protections at the federal level.
She has highlighted the need to address the stigmatization of LGBTQ youth, which drives them to homelessness, and the importance of ensuring that healthcare is a human right for everyone, including LGBTQIA+ individuals.
AOC’s commitment to LGBTQ equality is reflected in her voting record, as she has voted for the federal Equality Act that bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and public accommodations.
However, the bill has been blocked in the Republican-controlled Senate, highlighting the ongoing challenges in advancing LGBTQ rights at the federal level.
Detention centers for undocumented immigrants
AOC has been outspoken about her views on detention centers for undocumented immigrants.
In 2019, she sparked controversy and criticism when she referred to these facilities as ‘concentration camps,’ arguing that the Trump administration’s border detention facilities were ‘concentration camps’ where immigrants were being ‘brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying’.
This comparison was seen as an intentional use of Nazi imagery, which provoked backlash from some, including Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who accused AOC of ignoring history and disrespecting Jews who died during the Holocaust.
AOC stance on immigration policy has been a significant part of her political career.
She has been a leader in the Abolish ICE movement and has been critical of the agency, describing it as a ‘paramilitary tone every single day’.
AOC was the only Democrat to vote against a 2019 bill to fund and reopen the government because it funded ICE.
SHE has also referred to detention centers as ‘black sites’ and ‘concentration camps,’ citing scholars such as Andrea Pitzer who have made similar claims.
The controversy surrounding AOC’s use of the term, ‘concentration camps’ highlights the heated debate over immigration policy and the treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
The comparison to Nazi concentration camps has been seen as inappropriate and offensive by some, while others argue that the conditions in these detention centers warrant such a comparison.
Regardless of the terminology used, the issue of how to address the influx of undocumented immigrants and their treatment remains a contentious and divisive topic in American politics.
Personal life
AOC is currently engaged to Riley Roberts, a web developer and consultant.
They met at Boston University during a weekly student town hall called Coffee and Conversations, and have been together on and off since then.
Roberts has been a quietly supportive, behind-the-scenes guy for AOC, and has made subtle appearances in key life moments, including when she announced her run for Congress.
They got engaged in April 2022 in Puerto Rico, but have not yet set a date for their wedding.
AOC’s mother, Blanca, has expressed her hope that her daughter will soon marry Roberts, but Ocasio-Cortez herself has not publicly commented on her marriage plans.
She is known for her progressive politics and aversion to the establishment, and has been a target of conservatives and even some members of her own party who don’t agree with her democratic socialist ideas and headline-making social media presence.
Riley Roberts’ profession
Roberts started his career in 2012, immediately after graduating from Boston University.
He began working at Riley UX as a UX growth consultant.
After one year, Roberts shifted his focus to working independently for subscription start-ups.
He joined HomeBinder in January 2014 as the head of marketing.
HomeBinder is an online home management platform that makes it easier for modern homeowners to manage their homes properly.
Roberts’ job at HomeBinder entails managing the company’s website and looking for the best social media marketing strategies.
He is also part of the founding team of this SaaS start-up.
Roberts and AOC met at Boston University during a weekly conversation that had been hosted by the dean of the college.
After graduation, the two split up, with AOC returning to New York and Roberts returning to Arizona.
They reconnected while AOC was working as a bartender for Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign and her boyfriend was working on his startup.
Roberts moved from Arizona to the Bronx to be with AOC, and he has been a great supporter of her throughout her political ambitions.
He was present at her swearing-in into the House of Representatives in January 2019, when she became the House’s youngest female member at the age of 28, with the largest freshman class of female House members ever.
Roberts’ net worth is estimated to be around $800 thousand.
