Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is once again at the center of a familiar debate—this time, sparked by renewed attention to her childhood roots in Westchester County, New York. Though widely known for highlighting her Bronx background, critics are resurfacing details of her suburban upbringing to question whether the congresswoman’s public narrative fully aligns with her early life.
Before becoming one of the most prominent progressive voices in Congress, Ocasio-Cortez was simply known as “Sandy” to classmates at Yorktown High School, located about 35 miles north of the Bronx. The nickname, combined with her years spent in Yorktown Heights, has reignited conversation about her image as a working-class Bronx native.
One of her former science teachers, Michael Blueglass, recalled her academic excellence in a 2018 interview with Halston Media. “She was incredible,” he said, noting her participation in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. “She had an amazing ability to explain complex ideas to anyone—one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
Continue reading on next page…