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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters 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 Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was completely sold out. City residents of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the motivation to attend was simple: “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 New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the energy of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s exciting that someone who actually might make a difference 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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, 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 fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman 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 he is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen 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; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in backing his campaign. 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, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to make a statement to Trump and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to choose the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the supporters the value of her presence and backing.

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 take the stage, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the second part 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 evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had helped out and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

“We are just getting started. On 4 November we achieve liberation,” Mamdani said in his closing words.