New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOn The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid MORE (D) on Saturday praised Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE's (I-Vt.) long history of fighting for working class people like her, saying that her early endorsement of the 2020 presidential candidate served as an "authentic decision to let people know how I feel and where I am."

"As the senator mentioned, last February I was waitressing at a restaurant in downtown Manhattan and I didn’t have health insurance, and I wasn’t being paid a living wage, and I was facing sexual harassment at work, and to think now that I’m on the other side of this as a member of Congress, and understanding the pressures there are on the inside to conform," Ocasio-Cortez told CBS News in an interview following a massive rally in New York City in which she officially endorsed Sanders. "And to have seen them and experience them firsthand, it’s astounded me that the senator has been there fighting for me, long before I got to the halls of Congress, and fighting for people like me."

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"Some folks want to look at this from a political strategy perspective. But for me, it's just coming from an authentic place," the former organizer for Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign added.

Ocasio-Cortez has been one of the most outspoken members of the Democratic Caucus since becoming the youngest woman sworn into Congress in January. The freshman lawmaker has repeatedly raised issues related to President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE, climate change and taxes.

During the latest 2020 Democratic presidential debate, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, "tax the rich," as candidates debated policies such as Medicare For All, which has been a centerpiece of Sanders' campaign.

Sanders' rally in New York capped a week in which he scored endorsements from Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarOmar urges Democrats to focus on nonvoters over 'disaffected Trump voters' Omar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE (D-Minn) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.). The endorsements came as fellow progressive Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) surges in the polls and becomes a frontrunner in the Democratic primary.

Asked Saturday about why she didn't endorse Warren, Ocasio-Cortez said "the fact that [Sanders] has been fighting for these issues for so long struck me in a very personal way."

"For me, this is not about 'why not any other candidate,'" she said, adding that Sanders's campaign was about creating a "mass movement."