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

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the gathering as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was simple: “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 New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in local politics in a while. “It’s thrilling 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, 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 preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event 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.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the trains being safe, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his promises, he’s open-minded. “I don’t know who’s going to fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

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

Campaign Messages and Highlights

The candidate had a clear message he was aiming to get across at the rally; diversity 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 bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by 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 make a statement to the former president and the wealthy elites he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders 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 taking place.”

The state's leader the governor was the only presenter met with mixed responses, with the audience frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the supporters the importance of her presence and backing.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after the governor 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 Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” 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 expressing gratitude to 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 volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The crowd immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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