🔗 Share this article

Just over a week before New York City’s mayoral election on November 4, approximately thirteen thousand people poured into Forest Hills stadium for the “NYC Not For Sale” event, headlined by representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Sanders and the Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

The iconic open-air venue was filled to capacity. City residents of diverse ages and origins assembled, but it was the youthful attendees that seemed to bring the excitement.

Many described the rally as more than just a rally. It was a moment of unity, discontent and hope all at once. For Hayley Miller, 23, of Briarwood, the reason to attend was straightforward: “I’m here because the system is broken, 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 local politics in a long time. “It’s thrilling 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 involved now, then when is the right moment?”

Another Forest Hills resident, Emily, 29, shared a similar enthusiasm: “I think it’s inspiring to be a part of this energy. We even went out to cast ballots earlier today because we were preparing to be psyched for everything that he’s for.”

The variety of the crowd mirrored the city itself. Longtime residents, newcomers, working youth and retirees all were present. For an attendee, 68, from Queens, it was his first rally of the election season. “I’m here because, well, I want to listen to 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 doubtful about whether the candidate can fulfill all his promises, 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 without prejudice, and just wishing somebody is offering some alternatives.”

Brooklyn, 30, also from Astoria, said their top priorities were defending LGBTQ+ equality and tackling the city’s housing and cost issues. “I think the assemblyman is doing a great job of focusing on everything I’m worried by,” 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 clear message 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 backing his bid. Brad Lander, a past contender in this election, also came out to support Mamdani.

The senator received the loudest applause of the evening, matched by only Mamdani himself. Sanders spoke of the importance of electing 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 orbit.

“Ordinary people get a single ballot,” Sanders said. “Meanwhile, billionaires get the opportunity to invest unlimited funds to elect the candidates they want. That is the context in which this race is taking place.”

The state's leader the governor was the only speaker met with mixed responses, with the crowd 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 demonstrate the audience the value of her appearance and backing.

It was a big contrast to Congresswoman AOC, 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 audience had been more than sufficiently hyped. As with the mayoral debate days earlier, he did not hesitate at taking jabs Andrew Cuomo.

“Let our words 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 the suburbs tonight.”

But he did not dwell too long on his opponent, instead devoting the second part of his speech to thanking the alliance who had supported him for the past several months and contributed to his record-breaking campaign.

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

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