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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 attendees filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. City residents of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the rally 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 starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event reflected 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 right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting 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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, it was his first rally 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether the candidate can deliver on 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 alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

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

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of 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, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance 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 send a message to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich 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 the governor was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, 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 the governor and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound that he 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 he did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable 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 multitude of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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