A year ago today, AOC was a bartender in Union Square. She read political literature and canvassed on her breaks. She was the first to challenge Joe Crowley, the Democratic caucus chair, in 15 years. When asked how she could possibly win due to his financial advantage, “You can’t really beat big money with more money. You have to beat them with a totally different game.”

Somehow, she won. According to the New York District, The Ocasio-Cortez campaign spent $194,000; the Crowley campaign spent $3.4 million. At age 29, she is the youngest woman to ever serve in the US Congress, and one of the first to identify as a democratic socialist. According to Merriam-Webster, after her election, the searches for the word “socialism” spiked 1500% percent.

On her congressional orientation day, AOC protested outside of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi’s office for climate control. She enters congress with no seniority, but enough spunk and social-media presence to make a serious impact on the House. She has done many controversial things since first joining.

Ocasio-Cortez has been under the microscope lately as she has proposed a tax rate increase of up to 70% on every dollar earned over 5 million. This has been heavily opposed and even called socialist. This was, however, the tax rate in “the good old (financial) days” of the 1950s.

Her views are wildly liberal. She supports defunding ICE, increasing funding to Planned Parenthood, high tax rates on the rich, The Green New Deal, and LGBT rights.

LHS senior Madisyn Kelly says she loves AOC. “She’s so fun and spunky and unlike any politician we’ve seen in a long time.”