On the University of Virginia Alumni LinkedIn discussion group I was told by multiple members that they felt my sharing of an article about Howard Schultz’s letter to his employees in the wake of the immigration executive order was inappropriate because it’s partisan. If an open university discussion group isn’t the right place to discuss business and societal issues that impact our country, I’m not sure what would be the right place. The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson who, among many other accomplishments, was one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence. He was a great believer in and promoter of open debate and discourse.
I don’t mind people disagreeing with Howard Schultz and having reasoned arguments about their point-of-view. I mind being told that a business story that has a human element isn’t something worth sharing or discussing with alumni of a university I attended. By comparison, I shared this same post in the University of Pennsylvania alumni group and didn’t get a single comment like the ones I received from the University of Virginia alumni group. On the Darden alumni group, there was a single comment from an alum who said he was glad the immigration order was put in place because he doesn’t want to have to worry about Muslims shooting up his shopping mall. Ignorance is difficult to reason with.
Friends, I’m tired. Tired of explaining that discrimination of many varieties including prejudice based on religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation is alive and well in America. (Many of he UVA alums who commented on my post went on to say that they don’t think discrimination exists in the U.S.) I’m tired of hearing that we should embrace a leader who exemplifies every characteristic that a leader shouldn’t have. I’m tired of the constant justification of behavior that isn’t just.
I keep looking to our civil rights leaders of the past and present, and I marvel at their strength and perseverance in the face of hate. I wanted you to know that I appreciate so many of you sharing your stories of what’s happening to you and people whom you know. I admire your fighting spirits. You raise me up.
Certainly, I have been the target of prejudice in the form of sexism in both the workplace and in society. I try very hard to put on my armor and not let it get me down so that I can keep doing the work I know I’m meant to do. But some days, the load is heavier to carry than others and today is just one of those days. I’m disappointed in these UVA alums who felt compelled to send me these kinds of messages, and I’m also angry that I let them get to me so much.
I’ll feel better in a little while. I’ll pick up the mantle again and keep fighting for the rights of all people. I hope you will, too. And when you get down, please reach out. The only way we’re going to slog through this is to slog through it together.
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
