Last year, José A. Alvarado Jr., Photography ’13, noticed some intriguing Instagram posts promoting the congressional campaign of an unknown Bronx native named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He decided to photograph her journey: marching with demonstrators, preparing for interviews, bartending to make ends meet, and reacting to the news that she had won the Democratic primary.
After the primary, Broadly, a narrative platform owned by Vice Media that is focused on diversity, published Alvarado’s stunning images.
“I had a strong feeling that Alex’s story would be quite a remarkable one regardless of the outcome of the primary,” Alvarado says. “Her story is unique, inspiring, and historical.”
All photographs by José A. Alvarado Jr.