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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand attendees gathered at 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 open-air venue was completely sold out. City residents of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring 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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, working youth 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 listen to what they have to say, and there’s no other strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, 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 offering some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen 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 communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his campaign. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance 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 the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the context in which this election is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani 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 crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message 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 Westchester tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to thanking the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable 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 arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

“Our work has only just begun. On November 4 we achieve liberation,” the candidate said in his closing words.