Next time AOC’s in town, the Irn Brus are on me: Kaukab Stewart on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

They are women who have enjoyed a landmark 12 months that has helped shape Scotland and the world.

We asked our women of the year to name theirs.

Kaukab Stewart made history in 2021 as the first woman of colour to be elected to Holyrood.

A teacher for 30 years, she was elected at the Scottish Parliament elections in May before, soon after, Pam Gosal joined her to become the first Sikh and first woman of Indian background at Holyrood.

However, Stewart’s woman of 2021 is a politician from across the pond: US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is, in any case,  almost an honorary Scot after trying then hailing Irn-Bru during her visit to Cop26 in Glasgow in November.

Stewart, SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, said: “In the United States in 2018, on loan to the Cornell Costume and Textile Collection for their exhibition Women Empowered: Fashions from the Frontline, alongside collars worn by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was a despondent-looking pair of tattered, water-soaked, mud-stained trainers.

“Accompanying this exhibit were the words: ‘These shoes represent the hard work, dedication, determination, and commitment of the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.’

© SYSTEM

“When Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC as she is better known, was sworn into office on January 3 the following year, she was just 29 years old. As the youngest woman, and as the youngest Latina woman ever to serve, her spectacular election victory transcended the confines of her New York district; energising a new wave of Democrats who found in AOC a paragon of liberalism and moral clarity, and an inspirational role model for women of colour everywhere.

“Her authenticity and innate ability to connect with people is by far her greatest weapon.

“As Bernie Sanders put it: ‘There are some politicians who are very good on policy, and there are some politicians who are good communicators, and there are some politicians that have a way about them that relates very well to ordinary people. Alexandria has all three of those characteristics.’

“As the first woman of colour to be elected to the Scottish Parliament, I too am navigating a fledgling political career, and I too feel a heavy responsibility to ensure that younger generations feel engaged, represented and empowered by the people they have elected. AOC has stated that she does not want to be a saviour but, rather, a mirror, and in this aspiration we are truly aligned. For me, it is about giving young girls and women of colour in Scotland something which I never had growing up: validation that it is all possible.

© Andrew Cawley

“Not only is it possible, but it is fundamentally necessary in a just and democratic society that political representatives reflect the rich diversity of the electorate. I am saddened that I never had the opportunity to meet Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez during her recent visit to Glasgow for Cop26.

“I would love to have discussed and compared our experience of life in public office, anticipating that, despite spanning across the pond and across generations, our political journeys might have been marked by certain similarities: from the obstacles encountered, to the resilience required to persevere.

“In all of this, though, one thing is certain. Next time AOC is in town, the Irn-Bru is on me.”