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Just over a seven days before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately 13,000 supporters gathered at Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator 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 youthful attendees that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the event as not merely a political event. It was a moment of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 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 NYC 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 local politics in a long time. “It’s exciting 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 time?”

Another Forest Hills resident, 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 getting in the mindset to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and older adults all were in attendance. For Mitch, 68, from Astoria, 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 primary concerns facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, 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 fund all this stuff he wants done … but I’m going in without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is offering some options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think Mamdani is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

Nicole, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s authenticity: “I feel like he is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t common 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 communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s greatest asset. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, 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 loudest applause 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 make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

“Everyday citizens get a single ballot,” he said. “Meanwhile, the ultra-rich get the opportunity to spend as much as they want to choose the candidates they want. That is the backdrop in which this race is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “Tax the rich!” Mamdani came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and backing.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, who spoke just after Hochul and was met with the audience calling out for her.

When it came time for the candidate to take the stage, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound that he can hear them tonight in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on his opponent, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to thanking the coalition who had backed his campaign for the past several months and helped with his historic 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 arena immediately lit up in a sea of bright phone lights, too many to count.

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