As I walked down the long line asking people if they had tickets or were also holding out for a last-minute spot, something came over me. There were hundreds of people in front of me and they were all bursting with excitement. Chants of Sanders’ name and “Sí, se puede” filled the air. Supporters danced on the sidewalks, people signed up to volunteer for the campaign, and others registered to vote. Petitions circulated seeking to advance causes like ending the death penalty and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. And there were signs everywhere. Latinos, nurses, feminists, students, veterans, all there for Sanders. They were making their political voices heard and I was overwhelmed. Viva Bernie!

Making my way through the crowd, I learned that the event was now first-come-first-serve due to issues with the online ticketing process. I beelined to the end of the crowd.

Walking past the people already waiting, I realized that it wasn’t just hundreds of people, but there were more than a thousand trying to get in the rally. And the elation was intensifying. Two girls were shouting “Free the nipple!” A woman with rainbow-colored hair held a sign that read “Unicorns for Bernie”. Someone was skateboarding with a life-size cutout of Sanders. I even met a homeless man who hopes that his future might also improve if the senator from Vermont is elected. It didn’t feel like we were waiting to see a politician. It felt like we were waiting for a rock star.