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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand attendees poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the event as not merely a political event. It was a moment of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was simple: “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 place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s exciting 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 right moment?”

Another local, Emily, 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 preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals 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 hear what they have to say, and there’s no other viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill 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 open-minded, and just wishing somebody is proposing some options.”

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

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he 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

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion 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 bid. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, but also as a means to send a message to Trump and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” 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 race is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the audience the importance of her presence and backing.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after the governor 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 taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani 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 evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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