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Just over a seven days 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” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. New Yorkers 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 not merely a political event. It was a moment of unity, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was simple: “I’m here because the government sucks, 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.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults 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 “safety, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, he’s receptive. “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 proposing some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. 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 rabbi, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in backing his bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers 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 economical, but also as a means to make a statement to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “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 representative Ocasio-Cortez, 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 crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words resound 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition 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 canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The crowd immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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