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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately thirteen thousand supporters gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.

The historic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to energize the event.

Many characterized the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of togetherness, frustration and hope 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 New York City is definitely the starting point.”

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 city elections 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 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 vote earlier today because we were preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the crowd 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 campaign. “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 subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani can fulfill all his pledges, 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 open-minded, and just wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very genuine in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most elected officials. He’s a little less lip service-y than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a clear message he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a Christian minister, and an Muslim cleric all on stage together in backing his bid. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, tied with 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 economical, but also as a means to send a message to Trump and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

New York governor the governor was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd 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 audience the importance of her appearance and backing.

It was a big contrast 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 take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our message resound 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 dwell too long on his opponent, instead devoting the second part of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative 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 activate their phone flashes. The crowd immediately lit up in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

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