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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and hope 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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s thrilling 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 engaged now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, 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 preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth 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 hear 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 key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his promises, he’s receptive. “I don’t know who’s going to fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. 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; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric 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 loudest applause of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance 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 circle.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd 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 demonstrate the audience the importance of her presence and endorsement.

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

When it came time for Mamdani himself to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and helped with his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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