i am sassa

Well. I just don’t even know where to begin.

I guess I’ll start by saying that I really love this painting. I spent a little longer on it than the others so far, working on it over a period of two days instead of one. I approached it more carefully, with precision. Every time I’ve heard AOC speak I get the sense that she is a laser, zeroing in on whoever is unfortunate enough to be in her hot seat. Prior to painting her, I knew she was a Representative for New York, and that she is the youngest woman to ever serve in the U.S. Congress. I did not know that to get there, she thumped a twenty year incumbent in the biggest upset in the 2018 midterm primaries. If you watch no other part of the documentary Knock Down the House (linked below), skip to the 1:18:00 mark and watch her when she found out she won. It’s priceless. But actually, don’t do that…watch the whole thing. I’m begging you. It is the best thing I’ve watched in years quite frankly. I’m going to watch it again with my son.

I also listened to many interviews with AOC, as well as You Tube compilations of her baddest ass moments (there are SO MANY). Her level of badass is not theatrical. It is FULL of substance, spirit, and fearless representation for the working class. Like when she drills the hell out of a drug company for charging Americans nearly $2,000 a month for the only FDA approved HIV preventative drug, when American taxpayers funded its research, development, and clinical trials. Naturally, it was then privatized and anyone who wants it has to sell a kidney. Or just go to Australia, where you can get it for eight bucks a month. Or you can watch her lay out in painstaking detail how military contractor TransDigm charged American taxpayers over $215,000 for 149 non-vehicular clutch discs that cost $32 a piece to make. That’s a 4,436% profit margin. It’s also just an example of ONE PART that is literally three inches big. But yeah, I can totally see why everyone freaks out about single payer healthcare, because where on earth would we find the money??

AOC is from the Bronx. She is Puerto Rican, insanely smart, extremely young, beautiful with a flair for fashion and red lipstick, and angry as hell. And she refuses to tone any of it down. In her work environment, 78% of her colleagues are white and 77% are male. (House of Representatives? 🧐) Comfy work environment for her, right? Sure. Being called an F-ing B by a colleague as you walk up the stairs at the Capitol is great, I’m sure. Almost as great as scrolling twitter after work to find photos taken behind your back.

For good measure, I’ve included below a video that AOC made for Vogue of her skincare and makeup routine. Don’t get me wrong… I. HATE. when the appearance and presentation of women in power is discussed over all else (Billie Jean King said that when the Battle of the Sexes tennis match began, Bobby Riggs was announced with his accomplishments, and the only commentary following her name was about her looks. Barf). BUT…I found that I really love the way AOC responds to criticism when it comes to red lips, earrings, and clothes…all those things deemed frivolous and silly by her haters.

I fully enjoyed painting her with the biggest of the big gold hoops and the reddest of the red lips while I listened to her give a bunch of rich con men what for.

Thank you, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.