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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 supporters poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” rally, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The historic open-air venue was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many characterized the rally as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was simple: “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 New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 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 change things 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 engaged now, then when is the time?”

Another local, Emily, 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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, working youth and older adults all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the key issues 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 pledges, he’s receptive. “I don’t know who’s going to pay for all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in open-minded, and just hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

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

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate 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 support of his bid. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

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

“Ordinary people 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 context in which this race is taking place.”

New York governor the governor was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically shout “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the supporters the value of her presence 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 Mamdani himself to speak, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance 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, innumerable.

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