creativity

Wrapping up my year as a pen pal with Letters to a Pre-Scientist

Christa Avampato

This was my first year as a pen pal for Letters to a Pre-Scientist (LPS), a nonprofit that pairs fifth to tenth grade students in low-income communities with a worldwide network of STEM professionals for a yearlong pen pal program to inspire all students to explore a future in STEM. I was matched with a student in Arizona. We exchanged eight letters during the school year and discussed higher education pathways, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) career journeys, and overcoming obstacles in life, school, and career.

I think that piece about overcoming obstacles and getting through difficulty in life is incredibly important. We all face challenges at some point. It’s important for young people to know the challenges can be overcome and provide examples of how we’ve faced challenges as a way to inspire them.

My pen pal was always very interested to know about my dog, Phineas. She has a dog, too, and this was something we bonded over from our first letters. I decided I had to be honest with her about Phin’s passing in January, how it made me feel, and how I was coping with grief. Something extraordinary happened in our last letter exchange; something I didn’t expect.

My pen pal showed such an incredible amount of empathy for my loss. To cheer me up, she made me these little reminders that show wisdom far beyond her years. The front sides of the notes say “It’s okay…” and “I’m not gone”. Inside, they say “A dog wags his tail with his heart. Don’t forget the love they shared” and “Dogs leave paw prints on our hearts.” Truer words were never written. I’ve placed them by my desk because they make me smile while I’m working. All the while I was hoping to inspire her; turns out she inspired me even more!

In her letter, she goes on to talk about how much her dog means to her, and to also express some challenges she’s having in school. She said even though school was very difficult for her right now, she believed in herself, loved learning new things, and knows she will get through these challenges. This student did not express this level of confidence in herself at the start of the school year, not by a long shot. Growth and evolution are beautiful gifts to witness.

My gifts to my pen pal

To further encourage her, I decided to put together a special package. I made her a book mark with charms I thought she’d like–a book, a paw print, a moon and star, and the planet Saturn. I also sent her one of my Emerson Page charms that I hide around the world for readers to find. It says, “She believed she could so she did” and has a tag with “Always believe in yourself.” My pen pal’s confidence reminds me of Emerson so I thought this was a fitting gift.

I wrote my reply letter to her on fancy paper. I told her how much her kindness meant to me and how I admired her belief in herself to overcome her challenges in school. I told her my dream for her is find something that brings her joy every day. I made sure to mention to love every day she has with her dog so she has a lot of wonderful memories with him, and that giving him his food and water, playing with him, taking walks together, and brushing his hair will make him so happy. I closed the letter with one of my favorite quotes by the great naturalist Mary Oliver who asks in one of her poems, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” I told her I can’t wait to see what she decides to do with her life.

We never know how our words and actions may impact someone. The important thing is that we keep putting our hearts out there, that we keep showing concern, empathy, compassion, and kindness at every turn, even when our world and the world at-large is heavy. Perhaps especially when it’s heavy. This might be the only way we’re going to save ourselves and each other–keep showing up and giving our best, honest, authentic selves.

creativity

When milestones converge

Christa Avampato
Me on April 14, 2024

Yesterday was a big day for me, marked by many milestones:

I’ll be sharing more about all of this throughout the week. For now, I’m feel so much gratitude for all of this, and for the people who made all of this possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

creativity

Brooklyn’s flowering trees and a necklace to honor my dog, Phineas

Christa Avampato

Magnolias in Brooklyn. Photo by Christa Avampato.

This is my first spring in my new neighborhood in Brooklyn and it’s loaded with flowering trees! I went out for a long walks over the last few days, taking in the warmth and light, the scent of flowers, and the explosion of colors. My dog, Phinny, would have loved these days. I loved them for both of us.

Cherry blossoms in historic Green-wood Cemetery, Brooklyn. Photo by Christa Avampato.

It’s hard to believe Phin passed away two months ago. I’ve been looking for a locket for a few months to carry him with me everywhere I go. On Monday, the day of the eclipse!, this one arrived. It has a blue forget-me-not flower pressed into the front. It now holds a lock of Phinny’s fur. All he ever wanted in life was to always be with me. I took him with me whenever I could (and then some!) Spiritually, he’s forever with me. Now, he’s physically with me always, too, and we’re traveling together. Our love story continues.

Me in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, wearing the locket honoring my dog, Phineas.

Today is also the anniversary of the founding of the ASPCA in New York City in 1866. Phinny prompted me to become a monthly donor almost 9 years ago for his birthday. I’m so grateful for their work and honored to support their lifesaving mission for all these years.

My soul dog, Phineas, on a healthy and happy day in Central Park, Manhattan. Photo by Christa Avampato.

It’s also national hug your dog day. I wish I could hug Phineas today, so please hug your dogs for me. They are never with us long enough no matter how long their lives are. Love every day you get with yours. Here are some blooms to brighten your Wednesday.

Cherry blossoms in Brooklyn. Photo by Christa Avampato.
creativity

Why do we turn away from those who need help?

Christa Avampato
Photo by Margarida Afonso on Unsplash

At 3am on Friday morning, I was woken up out of a sound sleep. A man was on Coney Island Avenue, which my apartment faces, screaming. “Help! Someone please help me! Please!”

He was rolling around on the ground. It was cold, windy, and dark. He was alone. People were walking by him, not paying him any mind. There was something so earnest in his voice, so bone-chilling. I called 911.

The 911 operator asked for my name, phone number, address, and any details about the man, though I had very little to offer except his location. I hung up, and 10 seconds later my local police precinct called me back. The sergeant asked all the same questions the operator asked me. My guess is they were checking to make sure this wasn’t some kind of prank. When I told him the man had been crying out for a few minutes, he said, “Really? You’re the only call we’ve gotten.”

30 seconds later, two police cars and an ambulance pulled up to the corner. The man’s cries quieted. The EMTs immediately got him onto a gurney and wrapped him in blankets. One of the police officers walked down the block and collected a backpack and a walker. He loaded them into the ambulance with the man and the EMTs. I don’t know why his walker and backpack were so far from where he was. Was he attacked? Was he disoriented? I’ll never know. I do know I’m glad I called. I’m glad he got help.I’m glad the system worked.

I went back to bed after the scene was cleared. I said a prayer hoping he would get all the help he needed. I thought about how no one else had called, not the people walking by the man, not even the attendants at the 24-hour gas stations or bodegas on the corner.

I wonder what’s happening to us in this world, how and why we’ve become immune to cries for help, why we assume people in desperate need have somehow brought the situation on themselves. I wonder why our sense of humanity and decency is eroding. Why are we not helping when the need is so clear and persistent?

A European friend of mine once said to me he thought the saddest thing about America is that it has no social safety net. What I realized in those early hours of Friday night is that we do have a social safety net, and it’s us. We have to be the social safety net for each other. When someone cries out for help, we need to show up and extend a hand. We’re all just walking each other home. 

creativity

Could the northeast earthquake on April 5th be a result of climate change?

Christa Avampato
USGS Shake Map for April 5, 2024 New Jersey earthquake https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000ma74/shakemap/intensity

Yesterday while the northeast coast of the U.S. was reeling from a 4.8-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks, I was wondering if climate change could be playing any role in it. In a word, yes it can. Because of climate change, we may be at the beginning of a wave of increased seismic activity. Here’s the short of it from the World Economic Forum and The Conversation:

  • Climate change could cause more earthquakes and volcanic eruptions by increasing the weight of water on the Earth’s crust from increased precipitation and glacial melt.
  • When glaciers melt, the water can seep into cracks in the Earth’s crust, causing them to widen and weaken.
  • This can lead to earthquakes, especially in areas that are already seismically active.
  • Climate change can also cause more volcanic eruptions by increasing the amount of magma in the Earth’s mantle.

The tristate area has been caught in a seemingly endless cycle of storms and torrential rain so far in 2024. In March, New York City had double the amount of rain it usually has and April’s pattern is predicted to be similar. Geologists have previously explored the relationship between heavy rainfall and tremors in the Earth’s crust. Heavy downpours have triggered a pattern of seismic activity in some parts of the world such as the Himalayas but exactly how much rain is needed and what the full causal impact is still requires more research. Some climate models show more precipitation related to climate change is likely to trigger earthquakes and volcanoes in areas prone to them. 

The impact on seismic activity isn’t limited to precipitation. Remember, the determining factor is the change in the weight of water in the Earth’s crust. We must also account for the impact of climate change on the melting of glaciers as well. As the glaciers melt not only does that water seep into the Earth’s crust, but the melting glaciers also reduce the weight and pressure on the land that was under the glaciers. This release causes the land to rise, similar to a spring that was compressed and then releases once that compression is removed. When the last ice age ended ~10,000 years ago, the receding of the glaciers caused some of the land in Scotland to rise 45 meters above sea level! This kind of release can cause a spike in earthquakes, and historically some of these spikes have been severe in areas such as Scandinavia. 

In short, climate change may deliver a triple threat for earthquake activity: increasing the weight of water in the Earth’s crust from both an increased amount of rainfall and rapidly melting glaciers, and the added risk to the rising of land once the weight of those glaciers lightens or disappears altogether. The interconnections between all of the Earth’s systems and features is a delicate balance. Life on Earth has benefitted from a long stretch of stability and harmony. Our exploitation of nature, particularly our addiction to the drilling for and burning of fossil fuels, has put that stability and balance in jeopardy on numerous levels, many of which we’re only just beginning to understand. 

Nature is talking to us. Nature is warning us. Her voice and warnings will grow louder if we don’t listen and take action. Our artificial systems and incentives that we’ve invented in our economy and society will be no match for the wrath of nature. No amount of money nor ingenuity nor technology will protect us nor immunize us from the impacts of destroying the balance of natural systems on which we all depend. 

Every action we take now to reduce warming matters. The impacts of climate change are not for some distant generation. They are happening to us right now, and they will continue to happen and increase in intensity until we realize harmony with nature is the surest path to prosperity, health, wealth, and wellbeing for all beings. 

creativity

My letter to President Biden after the World Central Kitchen tragedy in Gaza

Christa Avampato
From World Central Kitchen. https://wck.org/

In the aftermath of the World Central Kitchen tragedy that took the lives of 7 humanitarian aid workers in Gaza this week, I wrote a letter to President Biden on Wednesday evening. The text of my letter is below. My hope is that my letter will inspire other people to not just post on social media but also to write to all of their elected officials and policy makers as a way of pushing for change at a system level.

“Dear President Biden,

On the news tonight, I heard you’re speaking to Prime Minister Netanyahu tomorrow. I know you receive a multitude of letters and that mine will likely never reach you but I’ve been so racked by grief at the tremendous loss of life in Gaza, especially the aid workers from World Central Kitchen, that I had to write to you.

This war’s made it unsafe for Americans to be abroad and unsafe to be Jewish, even in a city as diverse and accepting as New York City, where I live. This war is starving millions of people. It’s killed tens of thousands, the majority children and women. It’s maimed, disabled, and orphaned an untold number of innocent people. The people of Gaza are penned in with nowhere to go, no safe passage out and no safe space within.

I know the situation is complicated. I know the Jewish people have suffered for decades, for centuries. I know October 7th was a horrific unspeakable act by Hamas. And I also know what Netanyahu’s government is doing now is as cruel and inhumane as what has been done to them. The people of Gaza and Israel deserve better. They deserve peace. Netanyahu will never give them peace. And so, we have to use every resource we have to stand for peace: A stop on weapons, funding, and support for Netanyahu.

The second term of your presidency is on the line, and with it the future of our nation and the world. We’re asking you to lead, to protect us, to stand on the side of humanity and peace, and that means we cannot stand with Netanyahu. That way lies another Trump presidency, more anti-Semitism, and more anti-American sentiment. We and the world cannot afford any of that.

This war must end and Netanyahu must go. And you must be the one to take that stand. It’s as simple and as complex as that. I know it’s painful. I know it’s difficult. It must be done and you must do it, for all our sakes.

Sincerely yours,
Christa Avampato”

creativity

What does a sustainable New York City look like?

Christa Avampato
Sustainable New York City. Created by Christa Avampato and Canva Magic Studio AI.

What does a sustainable New York City look like to you? I imagine lush micro gardens, biophilic architecture (a building methods that connects people with nature), rooftop farms, and clean transit, air, and water as pathways that give people, plants, and wildlife the opportunity to live side-by-side-by-side in ways that benefit all.

In biomimicry, we begin our design process by asking how nature would solve a specific problem we have with a question framed as “How would nature (the problem we want to solve)?”. My question above would be framed as “How would nature build a sustainable New York City?” This is a question that has occupied by headspace for years as I traverse through different projects and future visioning sessions.

In the spirit of an image being worth 1,000 words, I created these images with Canva Magic Studio AI to show how nature might build a sustainable New York. Is this a city you’d like to visit? Is this a city where you’d be happy to live? What are the first steps we can take now to make this our New York?

creativity

LoveReading names Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads an “Indie Book We Love”

Christa Avampato
https://emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/shop/

LoveReading, the UK’s leading book recommendation website, named my upcoming novel, Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads, an “Indie Book We Love”. This is based on their ambassador readers providing top reviews for the book. A huge thank you to the LoveReading team for this recognition. I’m excited for readers to have this story when it launches everywhere books are sold on May 14th!

“Beautifully described and written. As a reader, you are rooting for her to win the fight for good.”

“A fantastical tale, imaginative world, and beautifully crafted story that allow the reader to become part of the story. Altogether thoroughly entertaining and literally spellbinding.”

“A fantastical tale that combines an academia style vibe (think Indiana Jones’ hunts for lost artefacts) with magical creatures. Into a mythical world, Emerson works to carry on her mother’s work, and we’re seeing a young teen and her family manage grief and try to come to terms with loss. This element adds another dimension to a magical adventure, and gives the story a lot of heart. ‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads is part fantastical quest and part coming-of-age. It’s an easy to read story that teens and young adults will love. ‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads’ by Christa Avampato is book two in the Emerson Page series. I would recommend starting this series with book one, ‘Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters’ in order to fully immerse yourself in Emerson’s story.”

Pre-order Emerson Page and Where the Light Leads on Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters is available now on Bookshop.org, Amazon, and everywhere books are sold.

creativity

Sending letters to young people to encourage reading

Christa Avampato
https://emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/

One of my great joys is encouraging a love of books and reading among children and young people. I send cards and a small gift from Emerson (and her, dog, Friday) to young readers whenever I know someone who’s bought my Emerson Page books for them. Each one is unique. If you’d like Emerson and Friday to send one to a young person in your life who loves the books, let me know. Books continue to take me on adventures, and it’s a privilege for me to open up these new worlds for others and share some light. 💙

creativity

Humans aren’t wired to protect nature—but that’s not the whole story

Christa Avampato
“People partner with nature”. I created this image with the help of Canva’s Magic Media AI tool 

As a storyteller and sustainability advocate I focus on people who aren’t committed (yet) to protecting nature because that’s where the greatest change happens. This means I’m often faced with people who deny climate change, feel hopeless, or think technology and / or someone else will restore the planet’s health. 

As you can imagine, I have to employ a number of tactics to remain optimistic and motivated. One way I do this is by listening to podcasts about people doing incredible work in nature. I’m passionate about rewilding, or as David Balharry, CEO of Scotland’s John Muir Trust, reframes it “nature’s freedom to repair itself”. This passion led me to Ben Goldsmith’s Rewilding the World podcast. Ben spoke to David in episode 1 of the second season. They discuss rewilding the Scottish Highlands, an area I’m hoping to visit this summer. 

The entire episode is enlightening, and one point in particular helped me. No species in history, humans included, has ever been hardwired to protect the planet. They (we) are hardwired to promote the successful perpetuation of our genetics. Said another way, at their base all living things first focus on their future generations surviving and thriving. This means people aren’t naturally focused on environmental conservation. It must be intentional. It’s a skill that takes practice. Therefore, the work I’m doing with naysayers, the hopeless, and technocrats is training and re-skilling them. I’m a teacher, a guide, and learning takes times. That reframe is helping me think about my work with more compassion and patience. 

I also want to be clear that our instinct for genetic survival is only part of who we are. Human beings have an enormous cerebral cortex unique (as far as we know) in the animal kingdom. Our brains simultaneously act and reflect on our actions to inform our future behavior and shape our thoughts. We can think long-term, imagine future scenarios, and bring them to fruition, even if we don’t always exercise that ability as deftly as we could. 

Our long-term planning capabilities make us unique and distinct from other species. This doesn’t mean we’re smarter, wiser, or superior. It means we have a responsibility to be conscientious global citizens who care for each other and future generations, other species with whom we share this planet, and ecosystems that make our existence possible. 

Over half of our global GDP depends on nature, in addition to providing our basic needs for clean air, water, and food. We can’t live without nature. If we’re thoughtful about our behavior, we can help nature help us. Scientist Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s research shows humans can assist and enhance nature’s regeneration. That’s a partnership and story well worth the investment of our time, efforts, and money.