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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand attendees poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

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 city elections in a long time. “It’s thrilling that someone who actually might change things 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 comparable excitement: “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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, 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 Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can fulfill all his pledges, 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.”

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

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y 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 rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in support of his campaign. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support 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 Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose the politicians they want. That is the context in which this election is occurring.”

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!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the audience the importance of her appearance and backing.

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

When it came time for Mamdani himself to take the stage, 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 words ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” 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 his opponent, instead devoting the second part of his speech to thanking the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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