11 things we learnt about AOC from her Instagram Q&A this weekend

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spent her weekend answering followers’ questions on Instagram.

And in the process, we got to learn a lot about her…

Here’s 11 things we learnt about AOC from her Q&A.

1. The reason she loves her job.

AOC said that the most “meaningful” work she does is:

Being able to help people in our community in big ways (reunite families separated by ICE, get people thousands of dollars they are owed from federal agencies, etc.

2. Her dog is adorable.

Look at him!

3. Some of her most iconic outfits were rented.

AOC thrifts lots of her clothing and rents outfits for special occasions. She explained:

The textile industry (clothing etc) is a massive source of environmental waste, pollution, labour exploitation etc.

I try to avoid fast fashion as much as possible, buy second hand/longer lasting quality and just make sure that when I do purchase something it’s because I love it, not just kinda like it.

Her own t-shirts are high quality and union made.

4. She loves cheese.

Queso fundido is made of melted cheese and chorizo. Very relatable.

5. She’s spent lockdown eating cookies and writing letters.

A lost art!

6. She sometimes struggles with her confidence.

AOC admitted she struggles with her “confidence" at work “all the time”.

7. She loves playing Among Us.

Last time she played the popular online game, more than 400,000 people watched via Twitch stream. 

8. There are lots of ways to make a difference, even when you live in a conservative area.

AOC recommends:

Organise your workplace. Join grassroots climate justice organisations. Run for downballot seats.

9. She loved Harry Styles’s Vogue cover.

Styles was American Vogue’s first male cover star to wear a dress. AOC was a fan.

It looked wonderful. The masculine and feminine elements are balanced beautifully. The hair and jacket give me James Dean vibes too.

Commenting on the backlash the look sparked among some conservatives, she said: 

What’s the point of creating things if they don’t make people think? Or feel or reflect? Anyway it looks bomb.

She later added that it’s important to consider the “underrecognised role of trans femmes of colour” when appreciating clothing that defies gender norms.

Performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon explained this further in an Instagram post. 

10. She has some very useful advice about burnout and productivity.

AOC explained how she copes with the pressures of her fast-paced and busy job.

I don’t try to focus on doing a zillion things a day. In fact, I’m always trying to do less. I prefer to do a few things well (even if it’s one thing) in a day than being exhausted doing a zillion things out of a sense of obligation and not knowing if they were all impactful.

There are seasons in life when you’re supposed to be marinating and growing, I believe, and while it may not look like a lot is happening on the outside, in truth there’s a lot of growth happening on the inside.

11. She believes in the power of grassroots organising.

And she has a handy way of defining it.

Everyday people organising in their communities. It’s bottom-up movements as opposed to top-down decision making that’s often based on title, power, status, wealth, privilege, pedigree, etc.

Good to know!

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