Here\'s the timeline of how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went from bartender to congresswoman in less than a year

Alexandria Ocasio CortezHollis Johnson/Business Insider

  • Less than a year ago Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a bartender in Manhattan. Today, the newly sworn-in New York progressive is being hailed as the future of the Democratic Party.
  • Here are the major moments in her journey to Washington.

Less than a year ago Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was a bartender in Manhattan. Today, the 29-year-old New York progressive is being hailed as the future of the Democratic Party.

As a college student at Boston University, the Bronx-native was a campus leader. She honed her public speaking and political organizing skills.

"We would say 'Sandy for president' because we were, like, 'Yes, you're speaking my truth right now,'" Bruna Maia, a BU classmate, told INSIDER in a recent interview.

Here's a timeline of her journey into politics:

ocasio cortez timelineSamantha Lee/Business Insider

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