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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” rally, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many characterized the event as a significant moment. It was a occasion of togetherness, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the motivation to attend was simple: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “It’s exciting 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 Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting 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 variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, working youth and older adults all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the election season. “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.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just hoping somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, commending Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in backing his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing 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 a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the value of her presence and endorsement.

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

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so loud 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 thanking the coalition who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had helped out and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The crowd immediately illuminated in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

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