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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 supporters filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many viewed the gathering as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation 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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “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 time?”

Another local, 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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, young professionals and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to what they have to say, and there’s no other strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on all his pledges, 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 offering some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani 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

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion 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, tied with 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 make a statement to Trump and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the context in which this election is taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani 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 big contrast 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 criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance 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 volunteered and canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of bright phone lights, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On November 4 we set ourselves free,” Mamdani said in his closing words.