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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, frustration and optimism 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 bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “It’s exciting that someone who actually might make a difference 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 inspiring to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, 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 cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can fulfill 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 hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his bid. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support 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 position of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to send a message to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, 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 crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“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 Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to thanking the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately illuminated in a sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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