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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the event as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, the motivation to attend was straightforward: “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 NYC is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a long time. “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 comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting 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 diversity of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

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 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 open-minded, and just hoping somebody is proposing some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in backing his campaign. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only the mayoral candidate. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for 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.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich 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 occurring.”

The state's leader the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the supporters the importance of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful 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 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 historic 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 turn on their lights. The crowd immediately lit up in a multitude of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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