Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars for people in need because of the coronavirus pandemic by playing the interactive online game “Among Us” over the Thanksgiving holiday with a Canadian lawmaker.
The New York Democrat played the social deduction game for five hours on Friday with Jagmeet Singh, a member of the Canadian parliament and head of Canada’s New Democratic Party, to raise the $200,000 for those without enough to eat and at risk of being evicted.
“We did it! $200k raised in one livestream (on a whim!) for eviction defense, food pantries, and more. This is going to make such a difference for those who need it most right now. Thank you all,” Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter Saturday.
Ocasio-Cortez, who played “Among Us” last month in a get-out-the-vote push for the Nov. 3 election, thanked donors and Singh for taking part.
“Grateful to all who joined us last night! Wonderful learning from you @theJagmeetSingh – thank you for reminding us that another world is not only possible, but just a few hours’ drive from NYC,” she said, linking to the ActBlue fundraising site to show where the donations will go.
Singh returned the favor on Twitter.
“Thank you @AOC! It was awesome chatting with you about how we can build a better world. In Canada, things aren’t perfect and we face many of the same challenges. But, together we can do better,” he said. “My mom always taught me: When we lift each other up, we all rise.”