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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many characterized the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, 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 New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe 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 engaged now, then when is the right moment?”

Another local, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this energy. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults 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 the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on all his promises, 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 wishing somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in backing his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by 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.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech 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 supporters the value of her appearance and backing.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after the governor and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, 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 ring so loud 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 Mamdani did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to thanking the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his historic 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 turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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