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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand attendees filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

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

Many characterized the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a moment of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the motivation 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 New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event signaled 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 time?”

Another local, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, working youth and older adults all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, it was his first rally of the campaign. “I’m here because, well, I want to hear what they have to say, and there’s no other strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate 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 hoping somebody is proposing some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere 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

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in support of his bid. Brad Lander, a former candidate 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 position of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to send a message to Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her presence and backing.

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

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 resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

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

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

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