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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 attendees gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a moment 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 system is broken, 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 local politics 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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 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 crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, 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.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, 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 offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “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 Mamdani is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

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 rabbi, 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 support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing 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 a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, 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, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the value of her appearance and endorsement.

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

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition 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 anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

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