When I was a child, Easter was my favorite holiday. I would get more excited for Easter than I would for Christmas. I got wear a pretty dress and pretty shoes. We’d pack into the car and be to my grandmother’s house in Connecticut by noon. Some of my relatives would meet us there. We’d have a meal and then could dive into our over-sized Easter baskets made up for each of us by my Grammy.
I remember Easter as a time when the flowers were out, the grass was green, and the promise of summer was nearby. Though at the time I didn’t truly understand the religious significance of Easter, I certainly understood the energetic significance. For me, as for so many, it was a time of healing. A time when we could equally hold great sorrow and much rejoicing. We could look disappointment in the eye knowing that there was a promise of redemption and rebirth not too far behind. Easter taught me that for everything there is a season.
Though I no longer formally celebrate Easter, I always keep its lessons close to my heart. No matter where we are, no matter what’s happening to us, there is always a hope that tomorrow will shine brighter than today. That’s the promise of Easter, no matter what religion we place our faith in. Happy Easter to all!
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
When I was a child, Easter was my favorite holiday. I would get more excited for Easter than I would for Christmas. I got wear a pretty dress and pretty shoes. We’d pack into the car and be to my grandmother’s house in Connecticut by noon. Some of my relatives would meet us there. We’d have a meal and then could dive into our over-sized Easter baskets made up for each of us by my Grammy. 
Happy Easter, Christa!
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Happy Easter, Christa, and hope you enjoy the season in your own way.
I can only imagine what it must have been like for you and your family to Enjoy Easter in a nice, rural and scenic setting. Being surrounded by so much natural beauty is its own joy.
In the Big Apple, things are different. Here, it is challenging to find natural beauty. In the big city, it can be a daunting task and more challenging just to find a little peace and quiet.
During festivals, however, you can re-create the same spirit and magic you once enjoyed as a child. You can invite a friend over for lunch or dinner and enjoy some down time.
Or, alternatively, visit a park with your puppy and go for a leisurely stroll there. This is Easter from the heart, after all.
Best wishes, as always, and enjoy a fab vacation. Cheers.
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