Temple Grandin with one of her cows. From Nature's Corner Magazine“Temple is different, not less.” ~ Eustacia Cutler, Temple Grandin’s mother to Temple’s science teacher and mentor, Dr. Carlock
“The world is cruel, but we don’t have to be. We owe it to all animals to give them our respect.” ~ Temple Grandin
After having read several of Temple Grandin’s books about animal psychology and animal behavior, I knew what a remarkable person she was. When I saw the movie Temple Grandin recently, I was not prepared for the emotional tug that my heart would feel in learning more about her own personal story. Portrayed brilliantly by actress Claire Danes, Temple Grandin’s determination, passion, and conviction made her one of my heroes.
Autism is a very personal issue for me. My father, a clinical psychologist, studied it which led me to explore the possibility of building my career in development pediatrics while I was a student at Penn and a work-study student at CHOP. My nephew also lives with a specific type of autism that has prevented him from speaking to us since he was about 3 years old; he’ll be 13 in June. I have close friends whose lives have been touched in one form or another by the condition. I’ve known autism to be fascinating and heartbreaking. Temple Grandin’s story made me realize that it can also be triumphant and hopeful.
In this post, I could expound upon the spectrum of autism and how it commonly manifests in both young children and adults. However, Autism Speaks, an organization that has worked tirelessly to fund research and provide education and support services to individuals and families affected by autism, is far more equipped to do that.
What I want you to do is go over to Netflix and put the movie Temple Grandin at the very top of your queue. I want you to take yourself to Amazon or your local bookseller or the public library and check out Temple Grandin’s books. Poke around on her website and be prepared to be inspired.
Her personal passion is the well-being of animals, particularly ones that we raise for our own purposes. What she teaches us through that passion is how to be better human beings. And given all that’s going on in the world, it’s a skill that is desperately needed in huge heaping amounts. For too long we have looked at autism as this hideous disease rather than seeing that the many challenges it presents have so much to teach all of us about compassion, determination, and the universal acceptance of all people as different but not less.
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
5 thoughts on “Beginning: How Temple Grandin Walked Through the Door to Her Dreams and Why You Should See Her Movie”
Nice story..what ever happened to you teaching in the schools?
I had a very hard time finding a school who would pilot my program and also didn’t have any luck finding a nonprofit partner who didn’t want to change the program substantially. So for the moment it’s on hold while I work on my yoga and my writing. I am sure that I will eventually find a way to make it happen!
I have long been a fan of Temple Grandin. A little over 10 years ago, I started working with kids with autism and it was the most difficult and the most rewarding experience of my life. I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet seen the movie. It’s been saved on my DVR for quite some time, but I know I will become emotional when I watch it, so I keep putting it off. Reading your post may have just given the push I needed to finally hit the “play” button!
Hi Dayle! I am so glad you are going to see the movie – let me know what you think!
I would also love to hear more about your work with children who have autism. I’m very passionate about this issue and am eager to hear about your experience in the field.
I’ve been waiting to reply to this until after I watched the movie . . . Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to yet. It *was* saved on my dvr . . . when I had Comcast. I completely forgot about losing everything when we switched to Verizon. It’s also not available for instant viewing on Netflix, and it’s not On Demand. But I’m searching, and I will see it, oh yes, I will! 🙂
As for my work with kids with autism, it’s been a very long time. I worked with 4 different families and each child was so unique. I could probably write a book about my experiences with each one of them 🙂 I read something the other day on a website for autism awareness. “If you know one kid with autism, you know one kid with autism.” I don’t think it can be put any simpler than that!
Nice story..what ever happened to you teaching in the schools?
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I had a very hard time finding a school who would pilot my program and also didn’t have any luck finding a nonprofit partner who didn’t want to change the program substantially. So for the moment it’s on hold while I work on my yoga and my writing. I am sure that I will eventually find a way to make it happen!
Thank you for asking!
LikeLike
I have long been a fan of Temple Grandin. A little over 10 years ago, I started working with kids with autism and it was the most difficult and the most rewarding experience of my life. I am ashamed to admit that I have not yet seen the movie. It’s been saved on my DVR for quite some time, but I know I will become emotional when I watch it, so I keep putting it off. Reading your post may have just given the push I needed to finally hit the “play” button!
LikeLike
Hi Dayle! I am so glad you are going to see the movie – let me know what you think!
I would also love to hear more about your work with children who have autism. I’m very passionate about this issue and am eager to hear about your experience in the field.
LikeLike
I’ve been waiting to reply to this until after I watched the movie . . . Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to yet. It *was* saved on my dvr . . . when I had Comcast. I completely forgot about losing everything when we switched to Verizon. It’s also not available for instant viewing on Netflix, and it’s not On Demand. But I’m searching, and I will see it, oh yes, I will! 🙂
As for my work with kids with autism, it’s been a very long time. I worked with 4 different families and each child was so unique. I could probably write a book about my experiences with each one of them 🙂 I read something the other day on a website for autism awareness. “If you know one kid with autism, you know one kid with autism.” I don’t think it can be put any simpler than that!
LikeLike