This month we’ll honor a few amazing women in a blog series called Badass Determined Women.
photo by Rise Pearl
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
First up this month is U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman to ever serve in the United States Congress. With the recent discovery for some, that women are half the population, we’re moving forward with more female representation. As more women run for office, we can all look for ways to become involved. This is progress.
Caring is cool
Would it surprise you to know there are some who fear AOC’s support for a livable future for creatures and humans on Earth? Do you know anyone who fears her ideas about loving, respecting, and caring for our planet? Do you think that what they are really afraid of is losing their power, so much that they are not willing to give up that power for any reason, even though it is destroying the planet?
Tired of power-hungry excu$es, women are stepping into a new moment in herstory, where women run the world. Most women are great at empathizing, and really understanding what is happening in someone else’s life, which is where the real power lies. Power of Respecting the People, power of caring, power of love.
Sadly, some still hold onto the dying industries that prevent us from moving forward. It’s pathetic the way these men try to hang on to their power. It’s not worth it. Get with the program. We’re saving the planet with or without you. As my friend Caleb used to say: “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.”
A message from AOC:
“Thank you for understanding what positive change asks of us: That we MAKE it happen, not WAIT to happen.”
-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
The Tipping Point
In an interview with The Cut, Ocasio-Cortez talks about the tipping point, when she decided to run for office.
“The tipping point was when I was at Standing Rock back in 2016 and I saw how all of the people there, particularly the Native people and the Lakota Sioux, were putting their whole lives and everything that they had on the line for the protection of their community. I saw how a corporation had literally militarized itself against the American people, and I just felt like we were at a point where we couldn’t afford to ignore politics anymore.”
-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Life at Home
A Latina who loves science, she was the first in her family to go to college. Her father’s family was from the Bronx, where they lived until she was 5 yrs old. This gave her a real understanding of the everyday American.
One big issue people in New York City are having is that they can no longer afford to live in the neighborhoods they grew up in. These families have called these places home for generations, and do not know where to turn.
During college at Boston University Ocasio-Cortez served as an intern for U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy in foreign affairs and immigration. One of the ways she learned so much about navigating the system was through helping Spanish-speaking people find a loved one who had suddenly been taken by ICE.
Learning by experience
AOC’s father passed away from lung cancer during her second year of college at Boston Unversity, and without his income, she had to fight to save their family home. Through this personal experience, she learned that greedy lawyers often find ways to give themselves more money, at the expense of people’s lack of understanding of the system.2
After graduating, Ocasio-Cortez moved back home, working as a server and bartender to help her family keep their home out of foreclosure. Having experienced this in her own family after her father dying, gives her empathy because she went through the fight herself, that’s why she understands others. She’s experienced it.
Progressive = Progress
In favor of progressive policies such as The Green New Deal, free healthcare for every American, free college, and the abolition of ICE(U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), Ocasio-Cortez is exactly the kind of badass we need representing us.
A fierce advocate for working-class Americans, AOC is not going to back down from her vision. When asked if she would be willing to compromise, she said she will compromise for improvement toward her goals.
AOC’s Green New Deal Goals
What are these goals of The Green New Deal that make people shake in their boots? Here are a few:
- Seeking to reduce carbon emissions
- Make buildings more energy efficient
- Build Smart power grids
- Reform current labor practices
Because we care about our people and our world, we need to do every one of those things, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is exactly the kind of badass determined woman that can get the job done. And one day I would like to see her become our first woman president.
Understanding abuse
Regarding the insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, no one has the right to tell AOC how she should feel about that day. Everyone has lived different lives.
I wouldn’t expect Ted Cruz to understand AOC’s reaction to the abuse. Doubt anyone ever tried to rape him. I am not sure how to react to people who mock the pain of others and behave like school bullies. Maybe for them to believe in abuse, would mean recognizing their own abuse.
I do, however, believe that some people truly still don’t understand what victims of abuse experience. If those people are willing to take the feelings of others seriously, they can grow from understanding.
Governor Cuomo
The sixth woman accusing Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, of sexual misconduct and unwanted physical contact, has bravely come forth to share her story, and we absolutely need to believe these women. They are reliving their pain and have nothing to gain except a chance to heal.
No one is supporting Cuomo’s bad behavior, which has clearly happened during his work hours, so maybe he needs to resign.
When we find out that someone we admire or respect has abused someone, it is hard for everyone. Facing the truth means that life as we all know it has to change. Sometimes the stakes can be really high, especially in some families.
When someone is accused, it’s hard to see a spouse or father as an abuser, and it can take a long time for people and families to recognize the truth. After all, they are victims too. Sometimes it can be so hard that people choose to pretend the abuse didn’t happen.
What now?
Regarding Cuomo, what would we like, ideally, to happen now? If he sincerely apologizes to these women, publically apologizes, resigns, and takes a course in consent until the professional believes he is ready, can he ever be forgiven? I would like to think so.
Only a person who is strong and has enough support from those around them can change. If Cuomo thinks he can never be forgiven(and I have no idea what this would mean to a Catholic), he may think his only choice is to minimize what happened. But then no one really heals.
If he thinks his wife would leave him, or his daughters would never want to see him again, he would probably choose to deny it, because his wife and family are worth more to him than those other women. So you can see that his options are not looking good.
Moving toward healing and resolution
My point is that if we want people to heal from their wrongdoings, and to stop abusing and be willing to face their actions, then we need to create an environment where people feel like they can admit they were wrong. Think of something you did as a young person that you regret now. Would you have wanted to be canceled, and for that one stupid thing you did to follow you around forever?
We need to be asking the women Cuomo disrespected what their hopes are. As they feel ready to discuss how they would like to see this resolved, we must do our best to support them. After all, it is their lives that are on display.
If we can support each other in having discussions that create paths to resolution on both sides, we can all have the chance to heal.
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Women are survivors
Many women(and men) all over the world (about a third1) will experience the trauma of physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. A woman’s courage to come forward to tell her story is powerful. Women are survivors. The lack of accountability from those in power is not going unnoticed, and change is inevitable. Watch this short video below:
References
- Democracy Now, March 10, 2021, World Health Organization Report
- Wikipedia, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez