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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 people poured into the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. City residents of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion 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 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 a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, 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 getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, working youth and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “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 the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on all his pledges, 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 proposing some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani 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 Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his campaign. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support 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 economical, but also as a means to send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently breaking into chants 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 show the supporters the value of her presence and backing.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“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 Westchester tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance 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 volunteered and canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately illuminated in a sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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