SXSW 2019: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

As New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continues to galvanize the left (and frustrate the right), what’s driving her unique appeal has become an increasingly compelling question. Is it her identity or her substantive politics? Or both?

Ocasio-Cortez's embrace of democratic socialism has been emphasized by the right, which seeks to paint her as out of touch with mainstream American values. But arguably, it's her progressive ideals that provide the basis for a human-centered politics that connect with a majority of Americans.

The Intercept's Senior Politics Editor Briahna Gray will talk to Ocasio-Cortez about identity, the race/class divide, and how these factors are likely to play out in the years ahead.