Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called into a Twitch stream of Donkey Kong 64 to help raise money for transgender kids

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called into a Twitch fundraising stream organized by British YouTube star Hbomberguy, whose real name is Harry Brewis. 
• Brewis launched the Donkey Kong 64 stream to raise money for the charity Mermaids, which raises money for transgender youth. 
• Ocasio-Cortez spoke about the government shutdown when she called into the stream. 
• By Sunday night, Brewis's stream had raised more than $340,000 for Mermaids. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dropped into a Twitch stream during a Donkey Kong 64 marathon on Sunday to help raise money for transgender kids.

Ocasio-Cortez joined a fundraising session started by British YouTube star Hbomberguy, whose real name is Harry Brewis.

Brewis's fundraiser for Mermaids, which supports transgender youth, started on Friday and aimed to play the entire 1999 classic, Donkey Kong 64.

When Ocasio-Cortez called in, Brewis thanked her for doing so, and asked: "How's it going over there? The government is shut down?"

The Democratic congresswoman from New York told him it was the "longest government shutdown in American history," adding that TSA, FDA and NASA employees weren't getting paid.

Read more: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rejected a plea by Aaron Sorkin for new Democrats to stop 'acting like young people'

"It's kind of a mess right now and we're doing everything we can," she told Brewis.

By Sunday night, Brewis had raised more than $340,000 for Mermaids, according to the charity's Twitter.

"Who knew when we woke up this morning that we'd be tweeted by Cher and have Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drop in?" Mermaids said in another tweet.

Ocasio-Cortez made her appearance on Twitch after responding to director Aaron Sorkin earlier on Sunday, after he said young Democratic freshman should "stop acting like young people."

"Ever wonder how expression that's feminine, working-class, queer, or poc isn't deemed as having 'gravitas,' but talking like an Aaron Sorkin character does?" Ocasio-Cortez said in response a thread about Sorkin's comments. "Men have 'gravitas,' women get 'likeable.'"

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