🔗 Share this article

Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately 13,000 attendees poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many viewed the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the reason 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.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, young professionals and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 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 trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just wishing somebody is offering some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, 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 loudest applause of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance of voting for Mamdani to the position 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 orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to choose 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 audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the importance of her presence and endorsement.

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 crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

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

But Mamdani did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately illuminated in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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