As the semester comes to a close, many events have occurred that affect our lives, one way or another. For many students here at Los Medanos College, we came here with a goal of graduating and taking on the world. The underlying theme to being a student is to reach our full potential. No single event embodied this goal than the political rise and election of New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

As the youngest person ever elected to Congress, while her youth shouldn’t get lost on you, it appeals to something even greater—the realization of a dream or goal achieved and having the gall to go for it all. The role of the House of Representatives in Congress is meant to be a representation of the people. So when you see a 29-year old Latina woman achieve this goal, you have to look at her background to understand the magnitude of it.

Growing up in a working class family from the Bronx, it doesn’t get more representative of the people than that. Prior to running for Congress, Ocasio-Cortez worked as bartender and waitress at a Taqueria. Congress is infamous for having multi millionaire and elite types in their ranks in Washington. You’d have to search hard to find someone that relates to everyday people, particularly college students. After being inspired to enter politics after working on Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, she entered the race and the rest is history. Ocasio-Cortez is the living embodiment of this generation taking charge of their goals.

As a student body it would behoove us to take heed to whatever calling motivates us to push forward.