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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 attendees gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many viewed the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of togetherness, frustration and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, 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 make a change as a country, and NYC is definitely the starting point.”

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 local politics in a long time. “It’s exciting 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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For Mitch, 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

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 focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse 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 make a statement to Trump and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the audience the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul 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 mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“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 the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on his opponent, 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 record-breaking campaign.

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

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