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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately 13,000 people filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of togetherness, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation 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.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “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 time?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. For Mitch, 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 primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his promises, 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 proposing some options.”

Brooklyn, 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 excellent work of focusing on everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “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 empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity 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.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to make a statement to Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “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 value of her presence and backing.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after the governor and was met with the audience chanting her name.

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

“Let our message ring so loud that Cuomo 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 he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to thanking the alliance 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 crowd immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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