Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been accused of pulling off a fake southern accent while delivering a speech at the National Action Network convention, which reportedly had a predominantly black audience, on Friday.

New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, often referred to as AOC, took to Twitter to defend herself following massive backlash online: she’s drawn much flak for seeming to adopt a southern drawl while addressing a majority-black audience on Friday.

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While claiming that it was a Bronx thing, rather than an accent, she said that’s how she talks and acts all the time.

Folks talking about my voice can step right off. Women’s March & Kavanaugh speech, same.



Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what’s up.



My Spanish is the same way.



These conspiracy mills are 🚮. https://t.co/8li33Jd6DL — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) 5 апреля 2019 г.

As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when I’m fired up and especially when I’m home.



It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponized against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) 5 апреля 2019 г.

In a speech at the National Action Network conference, AOC offered a message to the working class, reflecting on her days as a bartender: “I’m proud to be a bartender. Ain’t nothing wrong with that”.

Ocasio-Cortez speaks in an accent that she never uses while telling a room of predominately black people that there is nothing wrong with them folding clothes, cooking, and driving other people around on a bus for a living. pic.twitter.com/FIbIAPokt0 — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) 5 апреля 2019 г.

Critics and social media users accused her of slipping into a bizarre accent, with some even comparing her to none other than Hillary Clinton, who was also once accused of imitating a southern twang.

She literally pulled a Hillary Clinton pic.twitter.com/4jt8g1B71W — Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) 5 апреля 2019 г.

Who did the fake Southern accent better – Alexandria "this is what changing the country looks like" Ocasio-Cortez or Hillary "I don't feel no ways tired" Clinton?



😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4awvbYSDJ2 — BlazeTV (@BlazeTV) 6 апреля 2019 г.

Conservative talk show host John Cardillo even tweeted that Ocasio-Cortez’s accent was a “verbal Blackface”:

In case you’re wondering, this is what blackface sounds like. https://t.co/oQVynsDxpc — John Cardillo (@johncardillo) 5 апреля 2019 г.

Social media users minced no words while roasting the Democratic lawmaker:

If a Republican used a fake African American accent while talking to black people telling them it's ok to fold clothes, cook, and driving other people around, like AOC did, Democrats would have a kanipshin fit.https://t.co/nrjJDlNnSw — Lisa Scherr (@BBUMH) 5 апреля 2019 г.

To change your accent to sound like black people is sick and insulting on so many levels and racist. The implication being that black people are not smart enough to comprehend a topic unless you speak to them with an accent is sick and distorted. Shame on you. @RealCandaceO — BHMD (@90210Doctor) 5 апреля 2019 г.

The fact that AOC tweeted that she was hurt by the accusations has infuriated netizens even more: they slammed the congresswoman for “constantly playing the victim” and claiming that she was from the Bronx, while in fact she’s said to have grown up in Westchester.

Her constantly playing the victim and claiming she’s from the Bronx (she grew up in Westchester) is beyond tiresome — everyone knows what her normal voice sounds like and when she’s pandering — Jason E. Schott (@JESchott19) 6 апреля 2019 г.

No. The victim card can’t help you on this. You were using a fake accent to seem relatable. We all heard it. You know it. Take this L with some dignity. — derek schwartz (@derek_mafs) 5 апреля 2019 г.

#CutTheCrap Once again, Ocasio-Cortez shows her ass and gets embarrassed for being caught. She affected a fake and condescending accent and critics are rightly bringing her up short for it. #MakeAlexandriaABartenderAgain #WeDeserveBetter https://t.co/YgqgYgG5vq — CharlesNotes (@Charles_Notes) 6 апреля 2019 г.

She is not from the Bronx.



She is from Yorktown Heights, a town in Westchester County with an average home sale price of $459,400.



She's a fraud, she was pandering… — Mr. Steven Michael (@MrStevenMichael) 5 апреля 2019 г.

Except we've seen multiple videos of her talking in congress… so no, she doesn't usually talk like that at all. — Jerry Rhodamine (@JRhodamine) 5 апреля 2019 г.