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

The historic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of togetherness, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s thrilling that someone who actually might make a difference is showing up 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 inspiring to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the campaign. “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.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, he’s receptive. “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 alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in support of his campaign. Brad Lander, 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 role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, 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,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the politicians they want. That is the context in which this election is taking place.”

The state's leader the governor was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” 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 appearance and backing.

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 take the stage, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition 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 attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The crowd immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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