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

by Lynda Lopez

Overview

NAMED ONE OF AUGUST'S BEST NEW BOOKS BY CNN | ON Cosmo's LIST OF 12 BOOKS YOU'LL BE DESPERATE TO READ THIS SUMMER | ONE OF Autostraddle's 60 QUEER & FEMINIST BOOKS COMING YOUR WAY THIS SUMMER | A 2020 TITLE TO WATCH BY Library Journal | LISTED ON Marie Claire's POLITICAL BOOKS TO READ


With a preface by Keegan-Michael Key

In the vein of Notorious RBG, seventeen writers explore the multiple meanings of a young Latina politician who has already made history.

From the moment Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat a ten-term incumbent in the primary election for New York’s 14th, her journey to the national, if not world, stage, was fast-tracked. Six months later, as the youngest Congresswoman ever elected, AOC became one of a handful of Latina politicians in Washington, D.C. Just thirty, she represents her generation, the millennials, in many groundbreaking ways: proudly working class, Democratic Socialist, of Puerto Rican descent, master of social media, not to mention of the Bronx, feminist—and a great dancer.

AOC investigates her symbolic and personal significance for so many, from her willingness to use her imperfect bi-lingualism, to why men are so threatened by her power, to the long history of Puerto Rican activism that she joins. Contributors span a wide range of voices and ages, from media to the arts and politics:

Keegan-Michael Key
— Preface
Lynda Lopez
— Introduction: "The Meaning of AOC"
Jennine Capó Crucet
— "An Open Letter to Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez"
Andrea González-Ramírez
— "Women Like Me Aren’t Supposed to Run for Office"
Patricia Reynoso
— “'The First Latina to . . .'”
Pedro Regalado
— “'Pa’lante!': The Long History of Puerto Rican Activism in New York City"
Rebecca Traister
— "The Imagined Threat of a Woman Who Governs Like a Man"
Natalia Sylvester
— "In No Uncertain Terms"
Erin Aubry Kaplan
— "The Center Will Not Hold. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Counting on It"
Tracey Ross
— "A Just Society"
Carmen Rita Wong
— "Latinas Are So Money"
Mariana Atencio
— "AOC the Influencer"
Wendy Carrillo
— "What AOC and I Learned at Standing Rock"
Nathan J. Robinson
— "The Democratic Socialism of AOC"
Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez
— "On Being an Indignant Brown Girl"
Elizabeth Yeampierre
— "Making the Green New Deal the Real Deal"
María Cristina “MC” González Noguera
— "The Hustle"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250257413
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	1,079,551
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

LYNDA LOPEZ is an Emmy Award winning journalist and anchor at WCBS NewsRadio 880 in New York. She has anchored and reported for ABC News and WCBS TV, as well as anchoring newscasts for Fox5 and My9. A former contributor to Latina Magazine, Glamour and Glam Belleza Latina, Lopez lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"AOC is a force to be reckoned with, and her story is one that will leave you inspired." —Kami Phillips, CNN

"As the book’s editor, Lopez has collected smart, briskly written and often inspiring essays about the Bronx-born Boricua phenom." —The Washington Post

"Urgent and timely... holds power by demonstrating the path that AOC has carved for so many of us who rarely saw ourselves in the leaders around us growing up...I recommend this book to anyone feeling downtrodden or weary with the state of the world." —Medium

"This anthology of essays explores everything about the living legend Alexandia Ocasio-Cortez—from her symbolic significance as a political figure to her contributions to a history of Puerto Rican activism." —Cosmo

"This book dives deep into [AOC’s] background, image, and ideas, and comes up with important insights." —Library Journal

"These essays not only emphasise what an important figure she is, but just how important it is to continue to follow her journey. Please read this book, especially if you want to understand why AOC is so relevant and meaningful to the communities she’s a champion for." —The Nerd Daily

"[N]ovelist Natalia Sylvester looks at Ocasio-Cortez in perhaps the most relatable light of them all: As a Latinx person navigating her relationship to the Spanish language." —Oprah Magazine

From the Publisher

07/01/2020

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. VERDICT While there are several articles about Ocasio-Cortez, this book dives deep into her background, image, and ideas, and comes up with important insights. For readers interested in aspiring to politics.—Sierra Dickey, Ctr. for New Americans, Northampton, MA

Library Journal

2020-03-29
Fifteen writers reflect on the meteoric rise of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

When Ocasio-Cortez was elected as the U.S Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district in 2018, having defeated a 10-term incumbent, she made history as the youngest woman to serve in Congress. She also set the path for a new breed of young, social justice–minded politicians. Lopez, an Emmy-winning radio and TV journalist who anchors WCBS NewsRadio in New York City, assembles a bright and uniformly compelling collection of thought pieces on AOC. Her contributors—from the arts, media, and political landscapes—closely examine the essential qualities of AOC’s broad appeal. The right voice at the right moment, AOC embodies a growing progressive movement in the U.S. Deeply conscious of working-class values and environmental concerns, she’s a feminist with nimble social media skills, effectively communicating her message to an expanding mass of supporters. Among the many memorable essays are “In No Uncertain Terms,” in which Peru-born novelist Natalia Sylvester digs into AOC’s Latin roots and demonstrates how she and AOC share an imperfect yet emotionally engaging bilingualism; Pedro Regalado’s precise consideration of “the complexity of Ocasio-Cortez’s Latina background” within the historical context and expanding strength of Puerto Rican activism in New York; and Nathan J. Robinson’s eloquent summary of AOC’s enduring influence. “[Her] democratic socialism is a threat to the established order,” writes Robinson, “because she presents a vision of a possible politics where young people, working people, women, and people of color all create a humane and decent society together, one where everyone is clothed, housed, fed, and given quality healthcare, and you don’t have to be a billionaire to serve in public office….She is the expression of a profound and new kind of socialist politics, one that may very well change the world.” Other contributors include Rebecca Traister, Jennine Capó Crucet, and Carmen Rita Wong.

Enlightening and engaging perspectives on a remarkable political ascent. (8-page b/w insert)

Kirkus Reviews