I boarded the subway an hour earlier than usual this morning for some early more meetings. I needed something to cheer about. Over the subway loud speaker, I heard “Let’s get Wednesday.” In New York, we’ll occasionally get a humorous subway conductor. They are few and far between and when I get one, I always appreciate their ability to fun up the a job that I am sure is not that much fun during rush hour on a Wednesday.
After entering my building, I hopped onto the elevator. We have these tiny TVs in our elevators that run a circuit of news and advertisements. As you can imagine, the news is not that uplifting these days, and certainly not something I need to be reminded of as I head to my desk. Today there was an ad on the screen with the simple statement “Go humans go.” It’s part of a new ad campaign by Quaker. I am beginning to notice a pattern here.
On Wednesday afternoons I teach a high school Junior Achievement class about Business Ethics for an hour. As I was crossing the street back to my office, the traffic cop asked us to wait for the light to change. “Let’s to live another day, folks. Your families need you at home tonight. They’ll be waiting for you and you don’t want to disappoint them by getting run over.”
Combined, these three signs today were signs of life for me. We are living in dark times, though even when it’s darkest, we have to do our best to find that little speck of light and do what we can to turn it into a bonfire. I stood a little taller today, walked a little quicker, and worked a little harder. It might sound silly to say that the subway conductor this morning set the tone for my day by making one simple, 3 word statement. And it’s truthful. Sometimes a little cheering is all it takes to keep our chin up. Coming up above ground and saying to myself, “Yes, let’s get Wednesday,” really did help me do just that.
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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/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I boarded the subway an hour earlier than usual this morning for some early more meetings. I needed something to cheer about. Over the subway loud speaker, I heard “Let’s get Wednesday.” In New York, we’ll occasionally get a humorous subway conductor. They are few and far between and when I get one, I always appreciate their ability to fun up the a job that I am sure is not that much fun during rush hour on a Wednesday.
