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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” rally, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many viewed the gathering as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “It’s thrilling 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 time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be psyched 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 Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “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 Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, 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 fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just wishing somebody is offering some options.”

Brooklyn, 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 great job of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

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

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani 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 reverend, 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 support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing Mamdani to the role 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 wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance 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 divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the audience the importance of her presence and backing.

It was a stark difference 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 the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. 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 Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to 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 helped out and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

“Our work has only just begun. On 4 November we set ourselves free,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.