LOOK: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wears statement dress to 2021 Met Gala

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a US representative for New York’s 14th congressional district, wore a statement gown to the 2021 Met Gala on Monday, September 13 (Tuesday, September 14, Manila time).

“The medium is the message,” said Ocasio-Cortez in an Instagram post, showing off the white Aurora James dress with the words “Tax the Rich” splashed across the back.

James is the founder and creative director of Brother Vellies and the founder of the 15 Percent Pledge, a movement that urges major retailers to devote at least 15% of retail space to Black-owned businesses.

“The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich,” added Ocasio-Cortez.

The Met Gala is an annual event to raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It is chaired by Vogue editor-in-chief and Condé Nast global chief content officer Anna Wintour. This year’s gala is co-chaired with actor Timothée Chalamet, singer Billie Eilish, poet Amanda Gorman, and tennis superstar Naomi Osaka.

Tickets to the Met Gala cost roughly around $35,000 per person in 2019, according to the New York Times. The Cut reported that tables go for $200,000 to $300,000. But even if you can afford to pay for a ticket or a table, Wintour still gets the final say on the guest list. The 2018 and 2019 editions of the Met Gala reportedly raised over $13 million.

In a tweet, Ocasio-Cortez said elected officials from New York are “routinely invited to and attend” the gala “due to our responsibilities in overseeing and supporting the city’s cultural institutions for the public.”

And before haters get wild flying off the handle, New York elected officials are routinely invited to and attend the Met due to our responsibilities in overseeing and supporting the city’s cultural institutions for the public. I was one of several in attendance in this evening.🤗

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 14, 2021

Carolyn Maloney, Ocasio-Cortez’s colleague in the US House of Representatives, attended the gala in a dress that advocated for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Across the country, women’s rights are under attack.

I have long used fashion as a force 4 change. As the Met Costume Institute reopens w/ their inaugural exhibit celebrating American designers, I am calling 4 the certification of the ERA so women can be equal once and for all. pic.twitter.com/ONbAJq4rOK

— Carolyn B. Maloney (@CarolynBMaloney) September 13, 2021

At the US House of Representatives, Democrats are pushing for a rollback of tax cuts that were introduced by former president Donald Trump. The proposal would raise the top tax rate on corporations to 26.5% from the current 21%. The proposal is part of larger legislation that pushes for a $3.5-trillion domestic investment plan.

According to Reuters, if passed, “wealthy individuals would see a jump in their income taxes as well as higher capital gains and estate taxes.”

Ocasio-Cortez is a Democrat and part of an informal group of progressive legislators collectively called “The Squad.” – Rappler.com