'Our efforts are just starting': Zohran Mamdani, Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rally the faithful ahead of New York City mayoral race.

Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 people filled the Queens stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the rally as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the motivation to attend was straightforward: “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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “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 engaged now, then when is the right moment?”

Another local, a supporter, 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 getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “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 key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can fulfill all his pledges, he’s receptive. “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 hoping somebody is offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing 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, praising 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 lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across 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 support of his bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance 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 make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

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

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

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance who had backed his campaign 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 canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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