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Just over a week before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand people filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by Congresswoman AOC, Senator Sanders and the mayoral hopeful 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 bring the excitement.

Many characterized the event as not merely a political event. It was a occasion of unity, frustration and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, the reason 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 place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For Spencer, 29, who lives nearby in Forest Hills, 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 make a difference 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 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 enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, recent arrivals, young professionals and older adults all were in attendance. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, 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 viable candidates, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the trains being safe, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether the candidate 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 options.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from the neighborhood, said their main concerns were defending LGBTQ+ equality and addressing the city’s affordability crisis. “I think the assemblyman 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 he is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t typically seen in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

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 Jewish leader, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in backing his bid. The city’s comptroller, a past contender in this election, also came out to endorse Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers 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 affordable, but also as a means to make a statement to the former president and the billionaires he has in his orbit.

“Everyday citizens get one vote,” he said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the chance to invest unlimited funds to choose the candidates they want. That is the context in which this election is taking place.”

New York governor Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with divided reactions, with the audience frequently breaking into chants to enthusiastically chant “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 presence and endorsement.

It was a stark difference 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 speak, the audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the recent candidates' forum days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our message resound 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 Westchester tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on Cuomo, instead devoting the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had backed his campaign for the past several months and contributed to his historic campaign.

Perhaps the most evocative moment came towards the end, when he asked anyone in the crowd who had volunteered and gone door-to-door for his campaign to activate their phone flashes. The arena immediately illuminated in a multitude of glowing screens, innumerable.

“Our work has only just begun. On November 4 we achieve liberation,” the candidate said in his closing words.