I am so lucky to be a New Yorker. I pride myself on my intense love for and loyalty to this wacky and incredible city. Every day that I step outside of my apartment, I get a little twinkle in my eye and a pep in my step. I live in New York City.
As I was making my way home from the first day of the ad:tech conference, I stood on the corner of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue waiting to cross the street to the subway. A lot of New Yorkers hate Times Square. I love it. The energy. The lights. The creativity inside every door of every theater. I grew up in that area of the city when I managed Broadway shows in my 20s and so it holds a special nostalgia for me. As Sondheim said in Merrily We Roll Along, it’s where I began being what I can.
As I was waiting to cross 42nd Street, I felt a little tap on my shoulder. I turned to find two British women, probably in their 60s, visiting New York City for the first time.
“Excuse me,” said one of them in her perfectly lovely and lilting accent. “Is this Times Square?”
I smiled wide. “Ladies, you’re looking at it,” I said.
“Oh my!” the other one said. “And this is the real 42nd Street, from the musical?”
“The one and only,” I said as I pointed east. “Take a stroll that way and you’ll be smack in the middle of all of the craziness. It’s wonderful.”
They thanked me and crossed 8th Avenue, as excited as any kids I’ve ever seen on their way to a playground. And I was reminded again, just as I am every day, that this is one amazing town.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
3 thoughts on “Beautiful: I Love to Be The Ambassador of New York City”
Have you ever thought about writing an ebook or guest
authoring on other sites? I have a blog based upon on the same ideas you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information.
I know my subscribers would value your work. If you are even remotely interested,
feel free to send me an e-mail.
Christa Avampato 
This one gave me serious goosebumps.
LikeLike
🙂 Me, too!
LikeLike
Have you ever thought about writing an ebook or guest
authoring on other sites? I have a blog based upon on the same ideas you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information.
I know my subscribers would value your work. If you are even remotely interested,
feel free to send me an e-mail.
LikeLike