🔗 Share this article

Just over a seven days before the NYC mayor's race on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand supporters filled Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Is Not For Sale” gathering, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic outdoor stadium was filled to capacity. New Yorkers of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the Gen Z crowd that seemed to energize the event.

Many described the rally as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, discontent and optimism all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Queens, 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 NYC is definitely the place to start.”

Crowd Energy and Sentiment

For a local resident, 29, who lives in the neighborhood, the vibe of the event signaled something he hasn’t felt in city elections in a long time. “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 involved now, then when is the time?”

Another local, a supporter, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s exciting to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were preparing to be enthusiastic for everything that he’s for.”

The diversity of the audience mirrored the city itself. established New Yorkers, recent arrivals, working youth and retirees all were in attendance. 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 strong contenders, in my opinion,” he said.

Key Issues and Voter Concerns

For Mitch, the primary concerns facing NYC right now are “public security, the subway safety, and affordability”, adding that while he’s skeptical about whether Mamdani 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 hoping somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, 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 focusing on everything I’m worried by,” they said.

Nicole, 30, expressed similar views, commending Mamdani’s genuineness: “I feel like Mamdani is very sincere in his answers in a way that isn’t common in most politicians. He’s a little less empty rhetoric than usual.”

Rally Speeches and Moments

The candidate had a distinct theme he was aiming to communicate at the rally; diversity is NYC’s biggest strength. At one point, he had a Jewish leader, a reverend, and an imam all on stage together in support of his bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the biggest cheers of the evening, matched by 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 affordable, but also as a means to send a message to the former president and the billionaires he has in his circle.

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

The state's leader Kathy Hochul was the only speaker met with mixed responses, 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, stand with her, as if to demonstrate 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 Mamdani himself to take the stage, the crowd had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at criticizing Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words resound that he can hear them tonight in his expensive rental,” the mayoral hopeful said. “Let them be so powerful that he can hear them even if he’s in the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not focus excessively on Cuomo, instead dedicating the latter half of his speech to expressing gratitude to the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and helped with his historic 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 lit up in a sea of glowing screens, innumerable.

“We are just getting started. On 4 November we achieve liberation,” Mamdani said in his closing words.