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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of togetherness, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the motivation to attend was simple: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 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 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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate 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.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing Mamdani to the position 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 wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

The state's leader the governor was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech 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 demonstrate the supporters the importance of her presence and backing.

It was a big contrast to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” 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 his opponent, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with 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 bright phone lights, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On 4 November we achieve liberation,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.