AOC's 'We Are One' Video Stirs the Pot After Years of Identity Politics

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has set social media ablaze again, this time with a slick campaign-style video declaring, "We are one." The clip, which is clocking in at over 7 million views, aims for unity—but critics are pointing out the irony, given AOC's long history of very pointed discussions on race and gender in politics.

In the video, Ocasio-Cortez urges Americans not to let themselves be divided by geography or identity, saying, "Don't let them trick us into thinking we are enemies. Don't let them trick us into thinking we can be separated into rural and urban, Black and white and Latina. We are one." That message, paired with her past rhetoric, quickly drew fire from conservatives who accused her of playing both sides of the identity politics game.

This unity message comes as part of her growing stump speech, which she's been taking to record-breaking crowds alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders on their so-called "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. The congresswoman has made it clear she thinks Republicans fuel racial divides to distract and delay Democratic progress—an argument she’s repeated at rallies, including a recent one in Boise, Idaho.

With the 2028 presidential rumor mill already churning, thanks in part to notable pollsters, AOC’s high-profile messaging is getting more attention than ever. During the 2024 campaign, she spoke about the challenges faced by women of color in politics, specifically referencing Vice President Kamala Harris and noting the unfair attacks both have faced.

Since her 2018 upset victory in New York’s 14th Congressional District, Ocasio-Cortez has consistently framed her political journey as breaking through barriers of gender and race. She was the first person of color to represent her district, which is predominantly non-white and working class, and she hasn't shied away from highlighting the discrimination she and others face in Congress—even sharing moments when she was mistaken for an intern or spouse rather than a representative.

But not all of AOC’s high-profile stances have aged well. Take her vocal support for actor Jussie Smollett when he claimed to be the victim of a hate crime—a story later revealed to be fabricated. Ocasio-Cortez deleted her supportive tweet after he was convicted, adding a twist of drama to her record on public statements about race and justice.

Her willingness to call out racism at the highest levels hasn’t wavered. In a 2019 interview, she called President Trump a racist and later accused former Speaker Nancy Pelosi of unfairly targeting progressive women of color in Congress, though she eventually clarified she wasn’t calling Pelosi a racist directly.

Ocasio-Cortez’s statements have extended to public health and national tragedies, such as tying COVID-19 deaths in minority communities to systemic racism, and calling out white supremacy after the Buffalo supermarket shooting. She’s also described moments of vulnerability during the January 6 Capitol attack, saying she didn’t feel safe even among her colleagues due to the presence of white supremacist sympathizers.

Her fiery House floor speech defending Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was removed from the Foreign Affairs Committee, brought her views on race and gender to center stage once again. She argued Omar’s ouster wasn’t about antisemitic remarks, but about targeting women of color in Congress—a claim delivered with no shortage of passion.

The "We are one" message has drawn sharp criticism from conservative commentators, who claim it’s inconsistent with her frequent use of identity language. Some even got wrapped up in debating the capitalization of "Black" and "Latino" versus "white" in her posts—an argument complicated by AP Style guidance, which treats these terms differently for cultural and historical reasons.

As speculation about her political future heats up, Ocasio-Cortez’s ability to both unite and divide remains as potent as ever. Her camp, however, has yet to address the latest round of controversy directly.