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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, senator Bernie Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was packed to the rafters. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to animate the atmosphere.

Many viewed the gathering as not merely a political event. It was a moment of togetherness, frustration and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was simple: “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 Spencer, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the energy of the event signaled 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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this energy. 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 audience reflected the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, young professionals and older adults all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Astoria, it was his first rally 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 Mamdani can deliver on all his promises, he’s receptive. “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 proposing some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their top priorities were protecting LGBTQ rights and tackling the city’s affordability crisis. “I think Mamdani is doing a great job of addressing everything I’m concerned about,” they said.

A supporter, 30, echoed that sentiment, praising Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his responses in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Campaign Messages and Highlights

Mamdani had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; inclusion 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. Brad Lander, a former candidate in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

Sanders received the biggest cheers of the evening, tied with only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for Mamdani to the role of mayor not only for the sake of making the city more economical, but also as a means to send a message to the former president 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 politicians they want. That is the backdrop in which this election is occurring.”

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically shout “Tax the rich!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, hold her hand, as if to show the supporters the importance of her presence and endorsement.

It was a stark difference to Congresswoman AOC, 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 mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message ring so loud that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the Democratic candidate said. “Let them be so loud that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, 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 crowd immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, too many to count.

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