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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the reason 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 place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “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 engaged now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring 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 mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for 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 main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, commending 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 empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing Mamdani to the position 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 wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” 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 election is taking place.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the value of her presence 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 the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate 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 his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition 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 lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On November 4 we achieve liberation,” the candidate said in his closing words.