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

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many described the rally as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation 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 Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “It’s thrilling 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 inspiring 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 audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, young professionals and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 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 cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether the candidate can deliver on all his promises, 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 wishing somebody is offering some options.”

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 excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a clear message 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 support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing 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.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with mixed responses, 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 backing.

It was a stark difference 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 audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud 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 dwell too long on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his historic 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 arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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