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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand supporters filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should make a change as a country, and NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “It’s exciting 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 Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. 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 audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 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 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 subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether the candidate 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 open-minded, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

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

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y 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 backing his campaign. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers 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 the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and endorsement.

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 crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our message resound that he 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 Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to 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 volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On 4 November we achieve liberation,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.