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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand people poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was completely sold out. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to energize the event.

Many viewed the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s thrilling that someone who actually might change things 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, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring 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. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the campaign. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to what they have to say, and there’s no other viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani 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 open-minded, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the significance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, but also as a means to send a message to Trump and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose 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 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, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and backing.

It was a big contrast to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after the governor and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate 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 Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and helped with his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd 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.