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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand people poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was completely sold out. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a occasion 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 make a change as a country, and New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Audience Enthusiasm and Views

For a local resident, 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 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 time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this movement. We even went out to vote earlier today because we were getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, newcomers, working youth and retirees all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Major Topics and Public Priorities

For the Astoria resident, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate 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 wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

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

Rally Speeches and Moments

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 Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by only the mayoral candidate. 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 send a message to Trump and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the importance of her appearance and backing.

It was a stark difference to representative Ocasio-Cortez, who spoke just after the governor and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our message ring so loud 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 he did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his record-breaking campaign.

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

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