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    1. Politics

    Who Is Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's Brother Gabriel? He's an Artist and Musician

    He's a fierce supporter of his older sister.

    Katherine J. Igoe#039;s avatar
    By Katherine J. Igoe
    Published 8 February 2019 In Features

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    Given that she's the youngest person ever sworn in to Congress and the talk of D.C., you'd imagine that a support network would come in handy for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—and two of the political powerhouse's biggest supporters are her family members, her brother Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez and her mother Blanca.

    Gabriel was the person who initially sent his sister's information to a Democratic political recruiting group, per Insider, who met with AOC and encouraged her to run. Gabriel was firmly in her corner throughout her candidacy, and remains so: "I‘m the proudest Brother in the World.No Debate," he wrote on Twitter in December.

    Like his sister, Gabriel is creative and ambitious, juggling multiple careers—he's a musician, an artist, and dabbles in real estate and consulting. He's what we know about the "proudest brother in the world," who of course was there to support his big sister during her swearing-in.

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    He's a New Yorker.

    Gabriel and Alexandria grew up in the Bronx, and Gabriel currently works in Armonk, according to his LinkedIn page. He attended Long Island University, and graduated with a degree in art psychotherapy.

    He's an artist and musician.

    Per his personal website, it's clear that Gabriel identifies as a creative professional first and foremost, singing and recording his own songs and painting as well. This is even in spite of significant barriers, as he explained on Twitter:

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    He's also involved in local real estate, and is a realtor for Grand Lux Realty, which specializes in the New York area. He also does consulting work—so, like his sister, he clearly likes to keep busy.

    His father shaped him.

    Sergio Ocasio passed away in 2008, and Gabriel has been open about their "difficult" but incredibly loving relationship. "The truth is that my Father saw something in me nobody else did. He believed in what he saw, like an undeniable truth. He saw the potential I failed to see myself," he wrote on Instagram.

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    A post shared by Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez (@gabrielocasiocortez)

    A photo posted by on

    "His belief in my potential was strong enough to outlive him, and make me search inside to see it for myself. It was one of the few elements that helped me survive the change that followed his death."

    He's his sister's biggest fan.

    Alexandria features heavily on Gabriel's social media as his sister, friend, and inspiration. Gabriel himself speaks out on issues around race, women's rights, and other causes that he and his sister feel passionate about, even joking about going into politics himself. "You really shouldn’t underestimate an Ocasio-Cortez," he says. I bet.

    He attends important events with his sister.

    During Alexandria's swearing-in, Gabriel stood proudly to the left of his sister while his mom held the Bible. "My heart is so full of love hope," he said of the event. Gabriel also attended the latest presidential State of the Union Address.

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    He looks like Marc Anthony.

    I mean, according to Cardi B, that is.

    A post shared by Gabriel Ocasio-Cortez (@gabrielocasiocortez)

    A photo posted by on

    I...totally see it.

    This post has been updated.

    For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

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    2d7w3f0 congresswoman alexandria ocasio cortez r stands in line with her partner riley roberts and her french bulldog named deco as she waits to vote early at a polling station in the bronx, new york city, us, october 25, 2020 reutersandrew kelly

    (Image credit: Alamy)

    Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Partner?

    Flag of the united states, Event, Flag, Ceremony, Official,

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    AOC's Mom Is Crazy Inspiring

    Katherine J. Igoe
    Katherine J. Igoe
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    Contributing Editor

    Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

    Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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