Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has a Sweet Virtual Reunion with Her Second-Grade Teacher

"Thank you for teaching me, encouraging my growth, and believing in me as a child," AOC tweeted to Ms. Jacobs.

BY CHELSEY SANCHEZ AUG 13 2020, 11:47 AM EDT


JIM BENNETT GETTY IMAGES

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez virtually reunited with her second-grade teacher, whom she called Ms. Jacobs, via Twitter.

AOC tweeted about having a brief 60 seconds to deliver her remarks at the Democratic National Convention next week, and Ms. Jacobs supportively responded, "Remember all those poems we recited together in 2nd grade? It was prep for this moment."

As New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gears up for her first appearance at the Democratic National Convention next week, she's also keeping in mind the lessons she learned as a child.

Tweeting in reference to the 60-second time slot for her remarks at the Democratic National Convention next week, AOC quoted a poem by civil rights leader Benjamin Mays: "I only have a minute. / Sixty seconds in it. / Forced upon me, I did not choose it, / But I know that I must use it. / Give account if I abuse it. / Suffer, if I lose it. / Only a tiny little minute, / But eternity is in it."

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

“I only have a minute.
Sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, I did not choose it,
But I know that I must use it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Suffer, if I lose it.

Only a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it.”

- Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
(and recited by Elijah Cummings) 💜 https://t.co/ul9CE7NriV— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 12, 2020

Then, a user tweeted their encouraging response to her. "You've got this," the user wrote. "Remember all those poems we recited together in 2nd grade? It was prep for this moment. You've got this."

AOC replied, "Ms. Jacobs! Is that you?! Yes, I do remember the poems we recited in second grade! You prepared me perfectly for this moment. Thank you for teaching me, encouraging my growth, and believing in me as a child."
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Ms. Jacobs! Is that you?! 😭

Yes, I do remember the poems we recited in second grade! You prepared me perfectly for this moment.

Thank you for teaching me, encouraging my growth, and believing in me as a child 💜— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 12, 2020

Ms. Jacobs's Twitter bio reads, "Veteran elementary teacher. Uncertain about our future but inspired by former student @AOC and hopeful for Biden/Harris."

She also later quote-tweeted AOC's response to her, writing, "One of my lowest days this summer, worried about my teaching future. And then this."

As a new semester nears, many educators, students, and parents have expressed their concerns about schooling in the age of COVID-19, especially as the country continues to see a high number of cases.

In a powerful display of collective might, Chicago teachers threatened a strike if schools reopened in-person classes while the pandemic remains uncontrolled across the country.

"We shouldn't have had to fight for our students' lives," Sarah Chambers, a special education teacher, told Business Insider. "There are teachers writing their wills."

'You are my superhero': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reunites with her 2nd grade teacher on Twitter

Oma Seddiq  Aug 13, 2020,

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) passes through the National Statuary Hall January 9, 2020 at the U.S. Capitol. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's second-grade teacher reached out to her on Twitter to offer motivation on Wednesday evening.

"You've got this," her teacher replied to a tweet the lawmaker made about her scheduled appearance at the Democratic National Convention next week.
Ocasio-Cortez and her second grade teacher now follow each other on Twitter.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez received a heartwarming boost of confidence from an unexpected source, her second-grade teacher, ahead of her scheduled speech at the Democratic National Convention next week.

"You've got this," her teacher, who uses the handle @MJacobs on Twitter, said in response to a poem the lawmaker tweeted on Wednesday evening. "Remember all those poems we recited together in 2nd grade? It was prep for this moment. You've got this."
—mjacobs (@mjacobs324) August 12, 2020

The congresswoman was surprised by the Twitter notification. "Ms. Jacobs! Is that you?!" she repied with a crying emoji. "Thank you for teaching me, encouraging my growth, and believing in me as a child."

The social media reunion comes more than two decades since Ocasio-Cortez, 30, would have been a student in Ms. Jacobs' class.

Her teacher replied that she had been trying to reconnect for the past two years when she became a member of Congress and offered praise: "You are my superhero! I want to give you a hug when hugs are safe again. Always always here for you."

Ocasio-Cortez regularly attracts attention online for her punchy, conversational and policy-related posts to her more than 8 million Twitter followers, along with at times fiery exchanges with fellow lawmakers.

As a legislator, Ocasio-Cortez has been a champion for teachers, staunchly advocating for increased pay to address income inequality in the country. Other education policies she has supported include one-time student debt cancelation and tuition-free public college.

Ocasio-Cortez shared the poem, "I have only just a minute" by Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, along with news from Insider that she only has a pre-recorded 60 seconds to speak at the virtual event. The three-day convention on Aug. 17-20 will feature multiple notable speakers, including the Obamas and Clintons, and will officially declare former Vice President Joe Biden as the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee.

Ocasio-Cortez and her second grade teacher now follow each other on Twitter.
—mjacobs (@mjacobs324) August 12, 2020