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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, 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 event as a significant moment. It was a occasion of togetherness, frustration and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, 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 starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “It’s exciting 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 engaged now, then when is the time?”

Another local, Emily, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally 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 trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on 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 without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

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

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising 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.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in support of his bid. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with 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 economical, but also as a means to make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the audience the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for Mamdani himself to take the stage, the audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound that Cuomo 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 he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking 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 anyone in the crowd who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd immediately illuminated in a sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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