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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand attendees gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful 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 characterized the rally as a significant moment. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should bring about reform as a country, and NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “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 similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this movement. 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, young professionals and retirees all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to hear what they have to say, and there’s no other viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For the Astoria resident, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, 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 wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

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

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to communicate 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 support of his campaign. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the significance of voting for 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 Trump and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the context in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants 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 audience the importance of her appearance and backing.

It was a big contrast to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for Mamdani himself to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud that he 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 Westchester 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 contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had helped out and canvassed for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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