You may not know that you know a survivor, but it’s highly likely that you do.

Survivors of trauma are close to you. They are people you love & you may not know.

Many decide whether their story is safe with someone by how they respond to other survivors.

Don’t push them away.
I really wrestled w telling my story, & had decided about a week ago that it probably wasn’t worth it.

Then I had dinner with Sen. @Biaggi4NY. I told her everything because I knew she was a survivor. She helped me see the importance of sharing my story of the Capitol and trauma.
To be honest, every step of the way there were affirmers - @RepKatiePorter offering safety, @AyannaPressley pressing the pause button to acknowledge trauma, the courage of @Biaggi4NY, @yuhline, @CatalinaCruzNY & many others to tell their stories publicly helped me share mine.
This is all to say that survivors are watching. Loved ones are watching. They may share their story tomorrow, or in months or years. Or they may never.

Speaking vitriol towards other survivors hurts you & your loved ones. Bc dismissers rob themselves of meaningful relationships.

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More from @AOC

5 Feb
The reason some GOP are trying to sow false doubt about accounts of the Capitol attack is bc they know how powerful the testimony really is.

Each story reveals more details + the need for accountability.

You can see mine here:

& others on CSPAN below ⬇️
They don’t want you to hear stories like @RepDeanPhillips, who yesterday spoke to his gut instinct to blend the floor w/GOP lawmakers bc he knew the mob was coming for Dems, & affirmed the stark reality that his colleagues of color didn’t have that luxury:
Or @RashidaTlaib’s story of what her threats have looked like and how they’ve escalated from the moment she got to Washington, and how she feels responsible for the safety of her staff:
Read 4 tweets
4 Feb
Wild that @NancyMace is discrediting herself less than 1 mo in office w/ such dishonest attacks. She *went on record* saying she barricaded in fear.

@NancyMace who else’s experiences will you minimize?Capitol Police in Longworth? Custodial workers who cleaned up shards of glass?
All I can think of w/ folks like her dishonestly claiming that survivors are exaggerating are the stories of veterans and survivors in my community who deny themselves care they need & deserve bc they internalize voices like hers saying what they went through “wasn’t bad enough”
This is where the true damage of what @NancyMace is doing comes in.

How many survivors are watching her? Who now, seeing her, won’t get care or will feel further shame or silence? Who won’t speak up bc they know there are voices in leadership ready to minimize their experiences?
Read 4 tweets
22 Jan
After our BX+Queens district became the most COVID-hit in the country, I spent much of last year working on an issue that was devastating our families: funeral costs.

We finally got it done.

People will soon be able to get COVID funeral costs reimbursed.
abc7ny.com/aoc-alexandria…
This effort began with Elmhurst community leaders flagging early the disparate impact of COVID cases compounded w/ the devastating economic impact of funeral expenses.

We got to work right away, and partnered w/ @SenSchumer to prioritize it in relief.
cnn.com/2020/04/14/pol…
After many months of work, in the tumult of the late Dec COVID package we were finally able to work in FEMA funeral reimbursement for everyone in the country who lost a loved one due to COVID.

Current status: $2 billion has been approved, and FEMA is now setting up the program.
Read 5 tweets
6 Jan
Thank an organizer.
Thank you 🙏🏽@NewGAProject
Thank you 🙏🏽 @fairfightaction
Thank you 🙏🏽@ConMijente
Thank you 🙏🏽@GALEOorg
Thank you 🙏🏽@AsianAAF
Thank you 🙏🏽@songpowerc4

Thank you to ALL the people and grassroots organizations doing the thankless, often-overlooked, mission-critical work of change.
Thank you 🙏🏽 @BlackVotersMtr
Read 5 tweets
2 Jan
One of the 1st votes I ever cast broke w/ my party over House rules that strangled transformative legislation for working people + climate. It was honestly terrifying.

Now, CPC has pushed these critical rule changes in House negotiations. Grateful for @RepMcGovern’s leadership🙏🏽
One of the first deep lessons I learned in the House that process IS policy. If you pass M4A, GND, etc w/ messed up process/rules, then it can be weaponized into austerity leg by rules requiring it to have insane tax hikes or service cuts tied to it that aren’t applied to others
So these rule changes are a big deal - & not only on healthcare. They are structural changes in the House that level the playing field for a full SUITE of flagship legislation, locks in that field for the next two years, & establishes precedents for after

This was not easy
Read 6 tweets
1 Jan
Probably an unpopular take but I think it’s important the public knows what their public servants’ financial & income streams are, regardless of gender or party.

We can note how scrutiny gets disproportionately wielded on women, but Wall St ties are a very reasonable to examine
a very reasonable thing*
Also, there *is* a diff btwn working as a waitress vs earning millions from Wall St.

We may not want to admit it, but policymakers’ experiences DO shape their thinking.

Is it disqualifying, etc? That’s for public to decide. Which is why reporting is impt & shouldn’t be attacked
Read 4 tweets

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