Ocasio-Cortez: I’m the Descendent of Slaves, Native Americans, Spanish Colonizers

EXCERPT:

OCASIO-CORTEZ: “I think there is two ways to talk about it. And again, we can use and still have an opportunity, I think here in this situation, I think there is still an opportunity to model the correct way to navigate what these waters look like. For example, I’m Latina. And Latino Americans have a really interesting identity. Especially for me, as a Puerto Rican woman. My identity is the descendant of many different identities. I am the descendant of African slaves, I am a descendant of indigenous people, I am a descendant of Spanish colonizers, I am descendant of all sorts of folks. That doesn’t mean that I’m black, that doesn't mean I'm  native. But it does mean that I can use that, I can tell the story of my ancestors, that doesn’t mean that I am that. So I think in terms of how we navigate that, I look forward to her modelling a public learning process and uplifting those voices."