Her mentor and political inspiration has dropped out of the presidential race, and her congressional district has been described as the “epicenter of the epicenter” of the pandemic in New York City. It’s one of the hardest-hit districts in the country, and many of her constituents are having to work outside their homes during the crisis.

Today, a conversation with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.

Background reading:

• In a city ravaged by an epidemic, few places have been as hard hit as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s district. Here’s a look inside the crisis in Queens.
• In a recent interview with The Times, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she had never met Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. Although she intends to support him, she said that the “process of coming together should be uncomfortable for everyone involved.”