AOC’s Time Magazine Cover is a Proud Moment for Latinas

Time magazine recently released their latest issue with the incomparable Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the cover. The symbolism of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on the cover of Time magazine is not just a representation of her accomplishments as a politician — although that is high up on the list — it’s also, more importantly, an indicator of the prowess of a Latina.

Yesterday, after the release of the cover, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: “Last year, I woke up to organize with my community and waitressed to make ends meet. Today, staggeringly, I woke up to this. I believe in an America where all things are possible. Where a basic, dignified life isn’t a dream, but a norm. That’s why I got up then and why I get up now.”

She added on social media that while she isn’t seeking this kind of fame or attention, it is her journey as a risk taker that has put her where she is today.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that those late nights on the 6 & 7 trains would lead to this,” she writes. “All this attention gives me a lot of anxiety (my staff fought to get me to agree to this cover, as I was arguing against it), and still doesn’t feel quite real, which maybe is why I remain comfortable taking risks, which maybe is a good thing.”

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Her rise to the top is our rise to the top. Her inspirational leadership and dominant force is a testament of what it means to be a Latina in America, where obstacles don’t stop us, but only make us that much more passionate. In the article, writer Charlotte Alter writes how and why Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has been a force to be reckoned with — something that older conservatives still cannot comprehend.

“In order to understand @aoc, you have to look at what she experienced —  and what she didn’t,” Alter tweeted.”Red Scare, Reaganomics & prosperous ’90s were all before her time. Her adulthood was defined by financial crisis, debt and climate change. No wonder she and her peers are moving left.”

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez agrees and adds that “this is not just my story — this is true of wide swaths of our entire generation, who are now poised to become a much more influential civic and electoral bloc as we mature into our 30s and beyond.”

Here’s how other Latinas reacted to seeing Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on the cover of Time magazine. @Saint_Johannes tweeted: ” A Latina woman on the front lines fighting the Trump administration and gracing the cover of @Time magazine. Very proud moment. Keep shinning @AOC.” @inspiredyogagal said: “Wow look at who is on the cover of TIME magazine! As a proud Latina I honestly never thought I’d see this.”

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@ZamTheWriter tweeted: dreamt that I met @AOC & told her that it was an honor to because her @TIME cover was the first time I saw someone that looks like my older sister, young, tan, Latina, poderosa, on la portada de una revista nacional. Let’s keep this trend up ✊???? Twitterverse likes to talk about how people are thirsty for AOC likes/retweets. No, no friend. It’s just the first time someone that looks like my family, that speaks like we grew up in the same neighborhood (South Williamsburg), is from NYC, is now represented in my daily life.”

Speaking of proper representation, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez also tweeted that Time magazine actually captured the right tone of her skin color, something that other magazines fail to do to people of color.

“This is a small-big thing, but shout out to TIME and Collier Schorr for getting my skin tone right in this photo. ⭐️ It’s the little things that make a big difference, a lot of people see and appreciate it,” she said.