2016 has been a year of realized dreams so far, and here’s another one: I bought a condo! For the first time in my life, I’m going to own the home I live in. After so many years of moving, and not being sure from one year to the next where I’ll be, I’ll be settled in a place that will be my home. I close on Saturday, May 28th. It’s a one-bedroom in exactly the neighborhood I wanted. It has beautiful light, is newly renovated with a separately deeded and reserved off-street parking space, and a half block from a sweet community garden.
I’ve got a list of people a mile long to thank, and I will thank them with a housewarming party this summer. Here are some standouts:
I’m supremely grateful to my dear friends, Matt and Alex, for renting me an apartment here last February that enabled me to move to D.C., conduct a full-time job search, and save for a down payment. I wouldn’t have the life I have here without them and I don’t know how I will ever thank them enough for their generosity, kindness, and friendship.
Josh told me about DC Open Doors, an incredible program here in D.C. that provides an economic incentive for people to purchase a home in the District. Once he told me about that program, I had the courage to see myself buying sooner rather than later.
Sharif Ibrahim, my real estate agent, and Mark Eigenbrode, my loan officer and DC Open Doors representative, are a powerhouse team. I couldn’t have done this without them. I emailed Sharif on April 9th and I’m closing on a perfect place less than 2 months later.
It’s still hard to believe that this is actually happening. I have to keep pinching myself. Instead, I’m taking to Pinterest and scouring vintage shops, furniture stores, and antique shops. I’ve got a home, a real home, to furnish and decorate!
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
Such great news! Brava. šš
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Congratulations! So happy for you.
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