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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 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 came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

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

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe 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 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, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting 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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and older adults 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on all his pledges, 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 offering some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities 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 worried by,” they said.

A supporter, 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.”

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 backing his campaign. The city’s comptroller, 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 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 send a message to Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the importance of her presence and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, 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 hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” 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 dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to thanking the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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