Cortez, who was born to working class Puerto Rican parents, ousted Joe Crowley’s 10-term incumbent on a democratic, socialist progressive agenda.
At just 28-years of age, Cortez plans to use her position to its full potential: she is pushing to provide Medicare for everyone, she wants to abolish ICE, and ban high assault weapons following a string of fatal school shootings in the country.
Cortez is a product of New York’s vibrant, but poor neighbourhood. She weaved her way through all the layers of society - from working on economic policy and serving as an educational director for high school youth, to working two jobs in order to make ends meet following the death of her father in 2008.
In fact, less than a year before she broke records by becoming the first person of colour to win thew Democratic primary in NY-14, she was working at a bar.