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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand people poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the event as more than just a rally. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “It’s thrilling 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 engaged now, then when is the time?”

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 vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “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 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 fulfill 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 proposing some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m worried by,” they said.

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

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to get across 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. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing 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.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to choose the politicians they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants 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 show the audience the value of her appearance and backing.

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

When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words 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 focus excessively on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking 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 arena immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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