🔗 Share this article

Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Is 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 filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the event as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of togetherness, discontent 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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, 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 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 time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this movement. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were preparing 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 older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether the candidate can fulfill 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 wishing somebody is offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m worried by,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity 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 past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance 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 circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to elect the politicians they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and endorsement.

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

When it came time for Mamdani himself to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had supported him 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 turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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