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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 people poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the reason to attend was simple: “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.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

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 make a difference 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 right moment?”

Another local, Emily, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to hear what they have to say, and there’s no other viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether the candidate can deliver on all his pledges, he’s open-minded. “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 Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing 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 authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. 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 endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. 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 make a statement to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect 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 mixed responses, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference 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 the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud that he 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 Mamdani did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance 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 sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

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