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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 people gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman 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 described the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was simple: “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 NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the energy of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a long time. “It’s exciting that someone who actually might change things is showing up in an area that I’m in,” he said. “If it’s here, it’s like, why not? If we’re not gonna be involved now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring 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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the campaign. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to what they have to say, and there’s no other strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can deliver on 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 open-minded, and just wishing somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he 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 clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his bid. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. 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 send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor the governor was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and backing.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On November 4 we set ourselves free,” the candidate said in his closing words.