Yesterday I opened my mailbox and found intolerance, insensitivity, and disrespect. Despite the usually high journalistic standards, The Economist has failed us. This week’s cover depicts President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two main characters of the film Brokeback Mountain. For those who didn’t see the movie, one of the characters is murdered at the end of the film for being gay.
In their infinite wisdom, The Economist thought this was a good backdrop for mocking these two world leaders. I understand that The Economist is a historically conservative publication, though the last time I checked conservative did not equal bigotry. For the gay and gay-supportive community, this week’s issue is a travesty. It makes light of bullying and hate crimes. The editor(s) who approved this cover should be ashamed and issue a public apology.
My mantra for 2013 is “make something beautiful”. Sometimes in this quest it’s important to point out things that aren’t beautiful, things that are insidious, unacceptable, and rude. Such is the case with this cover of The Economist. I am sickened and saddened by the fact that in 2013 we still can’t celebrate love in all its forms and that a global publication that is held is such high regard feels empowered to ridicule the basic human right to love whomever we want to love.
I can see only one clear and swift way to rise up against this kind of intolerance: don’t buy The Economist and if, like me, you are a subscriber, cancel your subscription. Let them know that this behavior is inexcusable and will have consequences. We vote with our spending. Let the editors know that this type of act has no place in our society.
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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1 thought on “I Hope Everyone Boycotts The Economist”
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