Soap Box in the Bronx: The Story of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez In the wake of the 2016 U.S. national election, discontent echoes amongst American cities. Changes in the way politicians are viewed and campaigns are run become a frequent storyline throughout the country. Leading a 28-year-old Bronx woman of Puerto Rican heritage, to run for office in her neighborhood of Parkchester. A campaign that started in her apartment, the same apartment she was raised, has begun to show similarities to the old age tale of David vs. Goliath. Her Goliath? The incumbent (D) Joseph Crowley and what local news is calling the “Queens Machine”. A system of patronage designed to control local elections and prop up establishment power and moneyed interests. This will be Alexandria’s first time running for office in what is seen to be a very heated campaign race. The photographs in this series document Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as she navigates the road of her historic run for office. Spanning from her humble beginnings as a waitress, and Primary election victory, to become the nation's youngest woman ever elected into Congress, from her native district of NY-14, a district home to a population of over 75%, people of color and that had never elected a person of color to Congress before, to her first days on Capitol Hill.
Published on VICEon June 27, 2018 Published on LeMonde, M Le Mag du Monde on March 23, 2019 Published on New York Magazineon February 14, 2022
JOSÉ A. ALVARADO JR.
José A. Alvarado Jr. is a visual storyteller devoted to documenting cultural and social issues, as well as human interest stories in the US and Puerto Rico.