A friend asked me to edit a book chapter they wrote about the intersection of their personal and career paths. As I read through their beautiful story, I was surprised at how much my friend discounted their own experience, questioning whether they were good enough or had a right to do the wonderful work they do.
This friend is one of the most talented, intelligent, kind, compassionate, hardworking, generous people I know. I’ve learned so much from them over the many years we’ve known each other and it hurt my heart to see how much they questioned themselves. Being modest, recognizing and acknowledging those who’ve helped them along the way, and feeling fortunate are all wonderful virtues that my friend has in abundance. However, there’s a line between those virtues and the massive self-doubt that often holds people back from pursuing their dreams.
“Imposter syndrome” is a term I hear all the time, and I want to be very clear about something: Imposter syndrome is the tool of the patriarchy. (And by patriarchy, I mean anyone who attempts to puff themselves up by pushing down other people.) It’s projected onto people as a form of control. If you question your own abilities, it’s much easier for someone who only cares about their own well-being to zip by you. I want you to take the term “imposter syndrome” out of your vocabulary and out of your mind. I don’t want you to spend one more second of your life giving yourself that condition. Don’t take that on. It’s not yours to carry.
You are capable, creative, and curious. What you don’t know, you can learn. What you learn, you can apply. The world has so many challenges right now. To get through and make this world better for all beings, we’re all going to have to be at our best, contributing what we have to the collective. And we all have something valuable to offer.
Don’t discount yourself, and don’t allow anyone to discount you or your experience. Keep rising, and as you rise, extend your hand to lift others. We’re all in this together.
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
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