Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a democratic socialist who has debated a run for the presidency and for Senate, will visit Ithaca at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center at 5 p.m. on Sunday, More Perfect University announced on Instagram Wednesday morning.
Ocasio-Cortez will speak at a town hall titled, “Students vs. Billionaires,” an event hosted by the Cornell Graduate Student Union, Cornell Young Democratic Socialists of America and Students for a Democratic Cornell, alongside More Perfect University, according to the Instagram post.
At the town hall, focused on students at Cornell and Ithaca College, attendees will be able to ask Ocasio-Cortez questions directly, according to the RSVP, especially on issues like “skyrocketing rent and tuition” and “the erosion of free speech.”
“As students nationwide fight to take our campuses back from billionaires and special interests, AOC continues the fight for all Americans on a national stage,” a spokesperson for SDC wrote to The Sun. “Thank you so much to More Perfect University and AOC for this chance to bring students into the fight for revolutionary change.”
More Perfect University is a progressive campus initiative by More Perfect Union launched earlier this year with a mission to “strengthen our collective power as the 99%.” More Perfect Union, a progressive media organization, was founded by Faiz Shakir, the campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign.
Ocasio-Cortez’s visit to Ithaca on Sunday is part of a larger upstate swing — she also plans to visit Buffalo and Syracuse ahead of the midterm elections.
Though Ithaca has a competitive Congressional race, it does not appear that Rep. Josh Riley (D-N.Y.) will join Ocasio-Cortez on her campaign stop.
The tour also comes a year after the congresswoman toured the country with Sanders, her friend and mentor, during the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour that drew large crowds.
“These rallies were bigger than the sum of their parts,” Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times about last year’s tour. “When Bernie was on his own, or when I’m on my own, it’s different because we have overlapping but also complementary coalitions.”
And, while she is deciding between a run for president and for Senate in New York, Ocasio-Cortez told The Times earlier this week she would make that decision after the midterm elections.
Atticus Johnson is a member of the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a news editor for the 144th Editorial Board and can be reached at ajohnson@cornellsun.com.
