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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was completely sold out. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many viewed the rally as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “It’s thrilling that someone who actually might make a difference is appearing in an area that I’m in,” he said. “If it’s here, it’s like, why not? If we’re not gonna be engaged now, then when is the right moment?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, it was his first rally of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to what they have to say, and there’s no other viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, he’s receptive. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, but also as a means to make a statement to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to choose the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the audience the importance of her presence and endorsement.

It was a big contrast to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had helped out and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

“Our work has only just begun. On 4 November we achieve liberation,” Mamdani said in his closing words.