My friend, Amanda, wrote a gorgeous post on her blog about following our hearts and living the lives we want to live. These sayings have been uttered so often that it’s easy to hear them and just roll out eyes in that “oh yeah, easy for you to say” way. Amanda, in her infinite writing wisdom, added two quotes to her post that greatly heightened the meaning of these sentiments for me.
“Trust your heart. You’re a deserving craftsman. It would never betray you.” ~ The character of Seymour, writing to his younger brother, Buddy, in Seymour, An Introduction by JD Salinger
“In my dream, the angel shrugged and said, ‘If we fail this time, it will be a failure of imagination,’ and then she placed the world gently in the palm of my hand.”~ Brian Andreas
I’ve never heard the quote from JD Salinger before. The quote from Brian Andreas is one of my favorites from his art work. They both share the beautiful sentiment that within our hearts is every answer we will ever need. Do we have enough confidence and faith in our heart’s judgment to follow these answers? Can we trust our imagination to the extent that we place the entirety of our future in its capable grasp?
Yesterday, I read Amanda’s post through misty eyes. I have been wrestling with some choices about where to take this one wild and precious life of mine. My mind loves weighing options, playing out the scenarios to make the best choice possible. This one choice that I’m currently considering is giving me pause. My heart and mind are not in agreement, and I’m not sure why.
But if I sit still long enough, just breathe and be, move through my asanas during my yoga practice, my heart sings. It knows which way to go. I just needed Amanda, JD Salinger, and Brian Andreas to remind me of its strength and competence.
The image above is a work by Brian Andreas.
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
My friend, Amanda, wrote a gorgeous post on her blog about following our hearts and living the lives we want to live. These sayings have been uttered so often that it’s easy to hear them and just roll out eyes in that “oh yeah, easy for you to say” way. Amanda, in her infinite writing wisdom, added two quotes to her post that greatly heightened the meaning of these sentiments for me. 
love the salinger quote too. thanks fo sharing.
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No problem! Glad to share, and I have Amanda to thank. Amanda, I’m leaping!
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Do it, Christa.
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