The AOC Generation

David Freedlander examines a renewed generation of young progressive organizers who are reshaping American politics. Their story starts with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose rise opened a path for them. The book looks closely at groups such as Justice Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America, and Brand New Congress, explaining how and why these activists became engaged, and weighing what their strategies have achieved and where they have fallen short. Through the people themselves, Freedlander traces both the recent past and the likely future of this cohort.

In 2018, Ocasio-Cortez went from part-time bartender to a seat in Congress at age 29, and she quickly became known across the country for her progressive convictions and fiery style. Freedlander spent the final stretch of her campaign at her side, as she worked to win every last vote, and he draws on those firsthand observations. He argues that her political skill and her talent for capturing media and public attention helped awaken millennial activists to politics.

The movement grew out of the Bernie Sanders campaign and was intensified by climate change, an inflexible political system, and widening income inequality. Young people channeled their energy, ideas, and commitments into new organizations. Their activism also extends beyond the ballot box, with a media ecosystem of their own that includes podcasts, streaming networks, and even dating services built around their interests.

As this generation gains momentum and wins political offices as Ocasio-Cortez did in 2018, showing no sign of retreat, the book offers a careful analysis of how they came of age in a country they are intent on transforming.