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Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on 4 November, approximately 13,000 attendees filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” rally, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate assemblyman Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was completely sold out. New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds came together, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to energize the event.

Many characterized the event as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the reason to attend was simple: “I’m here because the government sucks, to be honest with you … and I feel like we should bring about reform as a country, and NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, the vibe of the event reflected something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a while. “It’s exciting 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 Forest Hills resident, a supporter, 29, shared a comparable excitement: “I think it’s inspiring 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 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 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 Mitch, the key issues facing NYC right now are “safety, the subway safety, and cost of living”, adding that while he’s doubtful about whether Mamdani can fulfill 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 without prejudice, and just hoping somebody is proposing some options.”

Another attendee, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were protecting LGBTQ rights and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman is doing a excellent work of addressing everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 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

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to get across at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a rabbi, a reverend, and an Muslim cleric 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, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of voting for 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 orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to spend as much as they want to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only presenter met with divided reactions, with the crowd frequently interrupting her speech to enthusiastically chant “Increase taxes on the wealthy!” The candidate came out at the end of her speech to, quite literally, stand with her, as if to demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and endorsement.

It was a stark difference 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 crowd had been more than adequately energized. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hold back at criticizing the former governor.

“Let our words ring so loud 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 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 helped with his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most memorable moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to turn on their lights. The arena immediately lit up in a sea of glowing screens, too many to count.

“We are just getting started. On November 4 we set ourselves free,” Mamdani said in his final remarks.