Who is Riley Roberts? All about AOC's longtime boyfriend as Representative confirms engagement 

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) took a break between endorsing progressive candidates and visiting Amazon union workers to get engaged to her long-time partner, Riley Roberts. She confirmed the news to Insider on Thursday.

The 32-year-old told the publication that they got engaged last month while they were vising her parents’ hometown in Puerto Rico. She also said that the newly engaged couple were “taking some space to savor” their new relationship status prior to getting embroiled in the wedding planning process.

AOC shared the news on Instagram and Twitter as well. She said:

The two reportedly met when they were students at Boston University. Riley Roberts was pursuing degrees in sociology and finance while Ocasio-Cortez was studying economics and international relations.

The couple met at a weekly topic-based chat hosted by the university’s dean. The pair dated for some time at university but separated ways after college. Insider reported that Roberts moved back to his hometown, Arizona. They later got back together in New York.

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Who is AOC’s fiancé, Riley Roberts?

According to his LinkedIn, Riley Roberts works for HomeBinder, which is “an online home management platform for modern homeowners." He also runs a consulting company that specializes in user-experience that helps start-ups grow their business.

In a Vogue-profile of AOC in November 2018, Roberts was described as:

“an easygoing redhead who works in web development.”

Speaking about the couple’s relationship, a close friend of the Rep. told Vanity Fair in December 2020:

“These were two awkward, supersmart, like-to-talk-about-issues kind of people that met through this super-wonky, nerdy thing.”

Riley Roberts has been described by Josh Gondelman, the author of Take Up Space: The Unprecedented AOC as:

“What we do know about Roberts doesn’t fit the stereotype of a politician’s partner. He doesn’t seem focus-grouped or media-trained for state dinners and press conferences. We know he’s supportive and encouraging in private. And his expertise, as far as his public image goes, is his elusiveness and restraint.”

AOC and Riley Roberts together in Washington (Image via AP)

Roberts has been helping his then-girlfriend since her bid for Congress against Democratic Party Rep. Joe Crowley. Roberts reportedly hit the streets to collect signatures to put her on the ballot. During her run, he also provided a $1,750 fund “in-kind contributions” while doing work on her website.

He has also appeared in the Netflix documentary Knock Down the House, which chronicled AOC’s election campaign in 2018.

It seems like Riley Roberts has got the representative’s parents' approval as well. Her mom, Blanca Ocasio-Cortez, said in a March 2019 interview that she “loves” Roberts. She also expressed keen interest in the two getting married, adding:

“I know they love children, and they do very well with children from the family. So, I hope they get married soon. Although they haven’t told me anything about their plans.”

Roberts’ family has also shown endless support towards his new finacee. While campaigning for Cynthia Nixon during her gubernatorial run, she wore a necklace given to her by Roberts’ mum Connie Roberts.