Every empowering quote Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has ever said
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls it like she sees it— which is why she is on her way to making Congress a little less male and a little less pale.
Last week, a conservative political pundit baited Ocasio-Cortez with a $10,000 to go towards her campaign in exchange for a debate. At first, Ocasio-Cortez respectfully chose not to respond to the challenge. However, after being called out on Twitter for her lack of response, the Latina couldn't keep quiet, comparing the provocation to catcalling.
Just like catcalling, I don't owe a response to unsolicited requests from men with bad intentions.
And also like catcalling, for some reason they feel entitled to one. pic.twitter.com/rsD17Oq9qe
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) August 10, 2018
In the latest round of primary elections, one of the rising stars to emerge on the national stage is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old Bronx native whose platform includes universal health care, fully funded schools and universities, federal job guarantee, affordable housing, immigration and criminal justice reform, and, of course, equality for all.
In a stellar and stunning upset, Ocasio-Cortez beat out incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley to win the Democratic primary in New York's 14th District. It had been 14 years since political powerhouse Crowley—who served as one of the highest-ranking Democrats in the House of Representatives behind House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi—has even had to face off against an opponent for his seat in the primaries.
That didn't stop Ocasio-Cortez, who was working as a bartender and waiting tables when she began her powerful grassroots movement campaign just two years ago. (Nor did the fact that Rep. Crowley had raised $1.5 million from super PACs compared to Ocasio-Cortez's $300,709 she raised from small donors.)
A post shared by MAKERS (@makerswomen) on Jun 27, 2018 at 7:03am PDT
"Women like me aren't supposed to run for office—I wasn't born to a wealthy or powerful family. But we have to ask ourselves... who has New York been changing for?" Ocasio-Cortez challenges viewers in her campaign video.
"Everyday gets harder for working families like mine to get by. It's clear these changes haven't been made for us and we deserve a champion... That's why I'm running for Congress."
It's not hard to see why Ocasio-Cortez ignited voters to turn up at the polls. Just read the most woke quotes that the changeMAKER has said:
ON RESPONDING TO HATERS:
Just like catcalling, I don't owe a response to unsolicited requests from men with bad intentions. And also like catcalling, for some reason they feel entitled to one.
ON RAISING HER VOICE:
They'll tell you you're too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.
ON INTERSECTIONALITY
We need to really examine the historical inequities that have created much of the inequalities...This idea of race or class is a false choice. Even if you wanted to separate those two things, you can't separate the two, they are intrinsically and inextricably tied.
ON ENGAGING YOUNGER GENERATIONS
Just now, as I'm typing this with 8 minutes left [until polls close], two young men of color, 20 years old, just walked up to me and said they just voted. Two years ago, the "experts" told me not to bother with them. But I knew that in refusing to engage with non-voters, we were churning a cycle of neglect and cynicism. So I reached out. And we have been embraced. We have built power. We have organized. What we have built is permanent. No. Matter. What.
ON HER CAMPAIGN
People in my opponent's camp have accused me of running a negative campaign. I find it very interesting that we have now interpreted holding people accountable as negative.
ON IMMIGRATION
We conveniently forget that large, massive swaths of the United States used to be Mexico. Latinx people are baked into the land of the Americas and the United States. We are a product of indigenous peoples, who have been displaced and fleeing violence for most modern history.
ON BREAKING BARRIERS
In my opinion, if women and gender-expanding people want to run for office we can't knock on anybody's doors; we have to build our own house.
ON HOPE
Sometimes, in the deep midnight and darkness that it feels in our political environment that there's still hope for this nation...You have given this country hope. You have given this country proof. That when you knock on your neighbor's door, when you come to them with love, that when you let them know, that no matter your stance, you are there for them that we can make change.
ON HOPE AGAIN (LET'S FACE IT: WE NEED MORE OF IT THESE DAYS)
What you have shown is that this nation is never beyond remedy, it is never beyond hope, it is never too broken to fix. We will be here and we are going to rock the world in the next two years.
HistoryMAKER Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joins the historic pink wave of women running for office this year including Amy McGrath and MJ Hegar. Learn more about their inspiring stories here.
