Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
The iconic open-air venue was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.
Many described the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”
For a local resident, 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 engaged now, then when is the right moment?”
Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to vote 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, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults all were in attendance. For an attendee, 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.
For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and cost of living”, 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 without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is proposing some options.”
Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.
Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”
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 Jewish leader, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in support of his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.
Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with 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 affordable, but also as a means to make a statement 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 invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is occurring.”
The state's leader the governor was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and endorsement.
It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after the governor and was met with the audience calling out for her.
When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs the former governor.
“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 Westchester tonight.”
But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting 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 historic campaign.
Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees 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 set ourselves free,” the candidate said in his final remarks.
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