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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately 13,000 people gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue 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 described the event as more than just a rally. It was a occasion of togetherness, 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 make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For Spencer, 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 make a difference is showing up 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 local, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the campaign. “I’m here because, well, I want to hear 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 “public security, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s receptive. “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 proposing some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very genuine in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate 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 support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, 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 voting for Mamdani to the position of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to choose the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is taking place.”

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!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the audience the importance of her appearance and backing.

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 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 the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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