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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 supporters filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

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

Many viewed the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, 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 NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the energy 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 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 time?”

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 preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just wishing somebody is proposing some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of focusing on 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 answers 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

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an imam 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 significance 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 make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker 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, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate 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 focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd immediately illuminated in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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