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Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 people poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was completely sold out. City residents of all ages and backgrounds assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a moment of togetherness, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 New York City is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the energy of the event signaled 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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

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

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and older adults all were present. For Mitch, 68, from Queens, it was his initial campaign event of the campaign. “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.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, 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 pay for 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 affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like he 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.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate 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 Muslim cleric all on stage together in support of 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 Mamdani himself. 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 send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul 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, stand with her, as if to show the supporters the value of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience chanting her name.

When it came time for the candidate to speak, the audience had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that he 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long 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 evocative 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, innumerable.

“Our work has only just begun. On 4 November we set ourselves free,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.