It’s impossible to think of the 2021 Met Gala without remembering AOC’s white gown that stole the show. The custom Brother Vellies organza dress with the message “Tax the Rich” emblazoned across it sparked plenty of controversy for obvious reasons: especially as she was at the Met Gala along with many of the well-connected rich. She was called tone-deaf by some and supported by others for raising awareness. Per BBC, she was later investigated over claims that she had violated Congressional rules by “accepting impermissible gifts” related to the event. The politician denied wrongdoing.

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2. Making history, making herself heard

Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress, and the youngest member of the 116th Congress. A native of New York’s Bronx neighbourhood, she was born in 1989 to a father who owned an architecture company while her mother cleaned houses.

Ocasio-Cortez was 18 when she lost her father to cancer, which led to her family having financial trouble. She was forced to take on multiple jobs to pay off student loans. Her 2018 financial disclosure while running for Congress revealed that she was paying off US$25,000 in student debt, per Time. After graduating from Boston University with degrees in economics and international relations, she worked as a waitress and bartender to make ends meet.

While at university, AOC met her long-time partner, Riley Roberts. Roberts proposed to her in Puerto Rico in 2022, People magazine reported.

She told GQ that Roberts has been supportive of her political journey, saying that “he dives into the fray for himself in that he uses what we go through as opportunities for personal growth. And it’s incredible.”

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3. Working for and against long-time political figures

Ocasio-Cortez’s foray into politics surprised many. Not only did her age spark debate, but so did her views on climate change, Big Pharma and “taxing the rich”. According to Money, AOC worked for the late Senator Ted Kennedy on foreign affairs, with a specific focus on immigration. According to The New York Times, she also worked on Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign.

In 2018, she made headlines after beating 10-time Democratic incumbent Joseph Crowley to represent New York’s 14th District. AOC aggressively used social media to call for change in politics, and in the Netflix documentary Knock Down The House, she can be seen campaigning house to house, cementing her links with the community.

AOC, along with Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley, Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, Greg Casar, Summer Lee and Delia Ramirez, are collectively known as “The Squad”, an informal group of young progressives trying to make big changes in politics. CNN described the group as having “carved an outsized profile for themselves due to their willingness to take on the Washington establishment”.

4. Taking controversial policy stances

AOC has, on multiple occasions, gone viral for her stance on prescription costs, the Medicare for All Act and pharmacy benefit managers. She has openly questioned how much profit should be made from people who are sick and in need of medication.

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Her views on big pharmaceutical companies in the US also caused a stir when she questioned why publicly funded research went into the manufacture of new privatised drugs, which the public must pay for.

In 2019, she introduced the Green New Deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and address economic inequality and racial injustice. Opposition parties heavily scrutinised the policy, with the The New York Times reporting Republicans being heavily opposed to the suggestions.

More recently, commenting on the US’ decision to veto the ceasefire in Gaza, she said, “The Biden administration has sidestepped Congress to continue to support the unconditional, indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza and single-handedly veto the UN’s call for a ceasefire as well … the Biden Administration should listen.”