AOC: The Fearless Rise and Powerful Resonance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

In this collection by journalist Lopez, 15 prominent writers and politicians chart the rise of congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and break down in detail what her newfound power means for our moment. The politician’s lived experience as a working-class woman of Puerto Rican descent is central to this book’s angle, as Pedro A. Regalado writes in his essay connecting her politics to previous generations of black and Latinx organizers in New York before her. She comes from a family in the same kind of circumstances that her policies seek to improve, and also represents all who have been left out (or kept out) of national politics. Standout pieces include one from New York Magazine writer and best-selling author Rebecca Traister, who analyzes why Ocasio-Cortez’s bold moves stir fears “of chaos and destruction” precisely because she is a woman. Another essay from personal finance expert and TV host Carmen Rita Wong demands readers recognize how important it is that the congresswoman sits on the House Financial Services Committee.