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

The historic open-air venue was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the rally as a significant moment. It was a moment of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For one attendee, 23, of Queens, 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 make a change as a country, and NYC 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 right moment?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this movement. 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. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to 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 trains being safe, 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 fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just wishing somebody is offering some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, expressed similar views, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across 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 bid. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing Mamdani to the position 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 billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is occurring.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the audience the importance of her presence and endorsement.

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 the candidate to take the stage, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that Cuomo can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” 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 dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

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