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

The iconic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, 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 starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 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 make a difference 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, 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 preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, working youth 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can fulfill 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 wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a reverend, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, but also as a means to make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the politicians they want. That is the context in which this election 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, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her presence and backing.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul 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 recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words 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 Mamdani did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition 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 attendees who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On November 4 we set ourselves free,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.