Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is once again at the center of a heated debate — this time over her roots.
The 35-year-old congresswoman, known for her progressive stances and fierce online presence, sparked backlash this week after referring to herself as a “Bronx girl” during a social media spat with former President Donald Trump. Critics, including a fellow New York politician, have since questioned the authenticity of that claim, citing her suburban upbringing in Yorktown, a town roughly 40 minutes north of the Bronx.
From the Bronx… or Westchester?
It all started when Ocasio-Cortez took a jab at Trump for authorizing airstrikes without congressional approval. In her post, she wrote, “Also, I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully,” a reference to Trump’s Queens upbringing.
That line quickly drew attention — not just from supporters, but from detractors like State Assemblyman Matt Slater (R-Yorktown), who fired back by posting a yearbook photo of Ocasio-Cortez from her freshman year at Yorktown High School.
“If you’re a BX girl then why are you in my Yorktown yearbook? Give it up already,” Slater tweeted, reviving a long-running criticism that AOC has overplayed her Bronx identity.
Slater didn’t stop there. In a statement to the New York Post, he said, “The AOC-Bronx mythology is laughable to anyone from Yorktown.” He noted she lived near the intersection of Friends Road and Longvue Street in a modest neighborhood, adding, “She really needs to come clean and drop the act.”
The Background on AOC’s Upbringing
Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Parkchester section of the Bronx in 1989. According to her own past statements and campaign materials, her family moved to Yorktown when she was around five years old in search of better schools. She graduated from Yorktown High School in 2007.
Critics argue that spending most of her formative years in suburban Westchester disqualifies her from claiming a “Bronx girl” identity. Supporters, however, say her childhood was shaped by the contrast between her Bronx roots and Yorktown life — and that the move was made possible only through the sacrifices of her working-class family.
In a 2018 tweet, Ocasio-Cortez addressed the issue directly: “It is nice. Growing up, it was a good town for working people. My mom scrubbed toilets so I could live here & I grew