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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many viewed the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “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.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, 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 change things 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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees 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 the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can fulfill all his pledges, 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.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his responses 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

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, 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 role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more affordable, but also as a means to send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

The state's leader the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the audience the value 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 chanting her name.

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 mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to thanking the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and helped with 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 sea of bright phone lights, innumerable.

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