Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holds rally at The State Theatre

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was at the State Theatre to lead a Harris-Walz "Get Out the Early Vote" event on Friday evening.

Outside the event, lines stretched in both directions from the State Theatre to Allen Street and Fraser Street. Across the road at the Allen Street gates, about 20 supporters of former President Donald Trump stood with signs protesting the event.

Inside before the speeches began, event organizers handed out signs that read “Students for Harris-Walz” and “Vote for our future” to the crowd of about 500 people.

First on the stage was State College Mayor Ezra Nanes. Nanes started out discussing the importance for Penn State students to vote.

“There’s a difference between President Kamala Harris or coming up just short,” Nanes said. “In 18 days the people in this room could sway the election.”

Nanes then spoke about the importance of electing Democrats not just for president but all down the ballot to protect abortion access, enact gun safety laws and protect the environment.

Nanes then introduced the president of the Penn State College Democrats, Baybars Charkas, to speak about the importance of voting.

“We get to choose the world that we want to live in,” Charkas said. “I’m excited to cast my ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz.”

Charkas then introduced the founder of Penn State Students for Harris, Sydney Robinson, who said “It took a hospital bed” to motivate her to start this movement after an illness over the past summer.

Robinson then introduced Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, who was met by applause. The Democratic New York congresswoman spoke for about 25 minutes about why she began working in politics, her last five years in Congress and the importance of the upcoming presidential election.

“We’re not quite in the past but we’re not quite in the future yet,” Ocasio-Cortez said while encouraging people to vote in the Nov. 5 election. “We elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, we get to see another day in our democracy.”

The congresswoman said that she gets a sense of hope and optimism from her fellow Americans that motivates her in her work. According to Ocasio-Cortez, people need to be willing to stand up and demand the maximum of what they believe they can have for their future.

If former President Donald Trump is re-elected, however, Ocasio-Cortez said this future can never be realized.

“When it comes to this election, I need us to understand that our responsibility here is real. It is our responsibility,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “When I say ‘ours,’ I mean ours, I mean this room’s and young people specifically.

Ocasio-Cortez went on to say that the Nov. 5 election is only the beginning and that Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz want a better future for America. She continued to urge people to get out and vote to ensure the future of America.

“Sitting out is not an inaction, sitting out is an active choice,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It’s not about red or blue it’s about couch or booth.”

Isabelle Charboneau is a fourth-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email ijc5186@psu.edu.