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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on 4 November, approximately 13,000 people poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the mayoral hopeful assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the younger generation that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many characterized the event as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the motivation to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should bring about reform as a country, and New York City is definitely the starting point.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the energy of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections 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 right moment?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring 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 psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and retirees 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 listen to 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 affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani 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 hoping somebody is proposing some alternatives.”

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

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

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; inclusion is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a Christian minister, and an imam all on stage together in support of his campaign. The city’s comptroller, a former candidate in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

Sanders received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by 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 Trump and the wealthy elites he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to choose the politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is taking place.”

The state's leader the governor was the only presenter 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 demonstrate 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 Mamdani himself to speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud 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 Westchester tonight.”

But Mamdani did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead dedicating 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 memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked attendees who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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