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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was completely sold out. City residents of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the event as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, 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 bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections 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 involved 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 diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, 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 offering some alternatives.”

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

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in backing his campaign. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance 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 wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech 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 audience the value of her appearance and endorsement.

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

When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to thanking the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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