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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a moment of togetherness, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the reason to attend was straightforward: “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 starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a long time. “It’s exciting that someone who actually might change things 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 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 movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, it was his initial campaign event 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful 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 without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t common 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 get across at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his campaign. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause 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 the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

The state's leader the governor was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants 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 big contrast 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 sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate 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 Mamdani did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead devoting 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 gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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