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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, 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 outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the event as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of togetherness, discontent and optimism 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 bring about reform as a country, and NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “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 Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

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 the candidate can deliver on all his promises, 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 options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job 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 genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

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 reverend, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

Sanders 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 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 choose 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 audience 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 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 calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to thanking the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and helped with his record-breaking 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 sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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