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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters filled 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 iconic open-air venue was completely sold out. New Yorkers 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, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, 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.”

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 local politics in a long time. “It’s exciting that someone who actually might change things 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, a supporter, 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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. For Mitch, 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 viable candidates, 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 affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just hoping somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing 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.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

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

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to send a message to Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“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 taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the supporters the value 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 take the stage, the audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our message resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, 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 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, innumerable.

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