By Sophia Chen ‘20, News Writer

On the night that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman to be sworn into the House of Representatives, footage of her dancing from college suddenly appeared on the internet. The “Breakfast Club” inspired dance video was created by Boston University students in 2010 when she was an undergraduate there. The reposting of the video was meant to be a smear post by a conservative internet troll, but it backfired quickly. Ocasio-Cortez  became a viral internet sensation, with the video of her dancing outside her office topping 23 million views worldwide. Although only in office for just a few weeks, Ocasio-Cortez is now one of the nation’s most popular lawmakers. She has risen up the ranks in the political sphere with her radical ideas and prominent social media presence. She already has more Twitter followers than Nancy Pelosi. She even had a full “60 Minutes” segment devoted to her that aired on her first Sunday night as a congresswoman.

Ocasio-Cortez is also very active on Instagram, doing live conversations that include cooking tips and policy announcements. Through Instagram, she makes politics more accessible by showing the ‘behind the scenes’ of her job. In a recent Instagram chat, while chopping vegetables for an Instant Pot recipe, she talked about her plan to ‘shape the national narrative’. Her powerful social media presence and relatable personality has cultivated a large following of young people.  Newark Academy Spanish teacher Profe Romay says, “I like that Ocasio-Cortez is a new member of Congress. Her mere presence in those halls is wonderful in terms of representation. I like her energy and what she stands for (“In a modern, moral, and wealthy society, no American should be too poor to live”). I also like that she seeks justice that encompasses people of all backgrounds. However, I am uncomfortable with the term “democratic socialist.”  I am a Cuban exile, and a survivor of socialism, and it is not the idyllic system that congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez believes it to be.” The fact that she is a young woman of Puerto Rican descent further makes her special and appealing. According to NA student Ellie Thomas ‘20, “Since entering into the field of politics is so intimidating, I think she is very empowering, especially to young women of color.”  Ocasio-Cortez’s charisma, paired with her progressive ideas and being a champion for her electorate are the main reason for her success against her opponents in the Democratic primary and the general election.

Ocasio-Cortez has a very progressive agenda. Alex Chen ‘20 believes “she is a young radical woman who has big plans for the future, but she may want to slow down and keep her ideas more grounded in reality.” One of Ocasio-Cortez’s main objectives is the ‘Green New Deal’ which aims to cut carbon emissions by 2.7% by 2100. This plan involves eliminating all fossil fuel-powered electricity, closing every coal and natural gas power plant in the country. All energy would be replaced by renewable sources of power such as wind and solar. NA student Michaela Wang ‘21 says, “While it’s relieving to see that women are being elected to office, Ocasio-Cortez is an extreme lefty that will not be making the far-reaching strides she’s promising.  It will take at least a decade for white Republicans to listen to women like her, but at least her passion is taking steps towards acceptance.” One criticism is that this policy would take away jobs in the non-renewable energy sector. In addition, it would be difficult to maintain dependence on only renewable energy because Americans would have to live without power when renewables weren’t producing enough energy. Ocasio-Cortez’s goal is to push the boundaries of the climate change debate far left to the point that a carbon tax would look like a moderate option. Senators Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and 40 other House Democrats support the Green New Deal. However, Ocasio-Cortez is also making enemies in Congress, including in her own Democratic party. People call her anti-establishment and a democratic socialist. Some people worry that Ocasio-Cortez is heading towards an ineffective career in Congress if she treats her own party as her enemy.

Although Ocasio-Cortez’s policies are considered rather radical, they bring widespread attention to pressing issues. Many believe the fight against climate change is humanity’s most critical pursuit, and a radical proposal such as the Green New Deal may result in new policies that will save our planet.