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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

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

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of togetherness, frustration and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, 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.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “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 involved 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 vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, it was his initial campaign event 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 primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s receptive. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for 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 top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine 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 communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in backing his bid. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. 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 make a statement to Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with mixed responses, 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 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 hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that Cuomo 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and helped with his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had helped out and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The crowd immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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