I have not been to a formal audition in almost a decade. I’ve been separated from that world of being watched and judged for so long that I barely remember what it was like. I’ve been searching for opportunities to teach yoga and do some writing. I know I am in a competitive market – New York is chock full of incredibly talented yoga instructors and writers. There was an ad on Craigslist for yoga instructors for a new studio on the East side. The audition was Saturday afternoon for two hours. No other details were provided.
I imagined walking in to a room full of 6 foot tall, gorgeous blonds who look like they just stepped off the cover of a magazine, and me. They would all know sanskrit names for every pose, they would have the equivalent to PhDs in Physiology, and ten years of teaching experience in top-notch studios. But really, what did I have to lose? The best that could happen is I’d get a sub gig for a new studio, and the worst is that I’d get a free two hour class and pick up a few things to add to my own teaching and practice. Plus, maybe I’d get some material for this blog. I was right, sort of.
The room was full of people, though they all looked, well, like me. Normal. They knew some sanskrit names for poses, though I knew more than I had been giving myself credit for. We only had to teach for 5 – 10 minutes teach and then got to be students for the rest of the time. And every person was talented and taught me something. New poses, new ways of describing poses I knew, and some tips on the benefits of different poses. These teachers were giving and warm and friendly, unlike the runway model competition I was expecting. Many were new teachers, like me.
I thought I might have some pithy piece by the end of the afternoon, some examples of raw competition and another chance to be self-deprecating. I don’t have any of that today. I got a lesson in humility but not the kind I was expecting. Just when you think you know New York, and New Yorkers, they surprise you. They make you realize that no matter how long you live here among them, they are always different than you will imagine them to be. I learned from the ones I met today that humility, like yoga, is based on being flexible.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
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