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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the gathering as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

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 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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring 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 diversity of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate can deliver on 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 without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is proposing some options.”

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 worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. 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 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,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to choose the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, 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 audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the second part of his speech to thanking the coalition who had supported him 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 crowd immediately illuminated in a multitude of bright phone lights, innumerable.

“Our work has only just begun. On November 4 we set ourselves free,” the candidate said in his closing words.