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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand people gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. City residents of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many viewed the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a long time. “It’s thrilling that someone who actually might make a difference 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 engaged now, then when is the time?”

Another local, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “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 variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and older adults all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on all his pledges, 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 main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality 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, 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 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 greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in support of his campaign. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the significance 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 Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop 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 “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the audience the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference 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 take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that Cuomo 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 Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had helped out and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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