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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 attendees poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many characterized the gathering as a significant moment. It was a moment of togetherness, frustration and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was simple: “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 place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections 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 engaged 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 cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, young professionals and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill 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 open-minded, and just wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t common 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 greatest asset. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a reverend, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support 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 one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the supporters the value of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud 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 Mamdani did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The crowd 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.