Tag: future

creativity

Wonder: Night at the Newseum – Virtual reality is real

Christa Avampato

Last week, I went to an event about mixed-, virtual-, and augmented-reality at DC’s Newseum. My dear friend, F.J., told me about it and being the technology fiends that we are, we went over there together with our friend, Anisha. We tried on some new gear to get a sense of what’s happening in this new and rapidly emerging field. I drove down the streets of Cuba, Anisha took a flight with the Blue Angels, and F.J. explored a shipwreck. The degrees of quality varied, but the fun of seeing the future was equally palpable in all of it. We then sat together to hear a talented panel of journalists and media makers talk about how these technologies are altering the very real world of human experience in a broad sense, and the field of journalism and storytelling more specifically.

An intense amount of capital is pouring into MR, AR, and VR. Competitors in hardware and software are firing on all cylinders. Storytellers are undergoing a massive mind shift and stretching their imaginations to the nth degree. The future of this technology isn’t even clear enough to be called hazy. We are all, admittedly, fumbling in the dark trying figure out how, if, when, where, and why to take this new avenue.
I’m thinking about how to use it for Project Rubeus. Prestigious outlets such as The New York Times and the Washington Post are experimenting with mobile, immersive stories. The fields of healthcare, education, media, nonprofit, and travel are bending this new channel to their will to literally take students, customers, and consumers to places they never even imagined they could go.
I am intensely excited about this possibility and opportunity, as a business woman, technology lover, and writer with a passion for learning, teaching, and sharing. At the Newseum that night, a portal to a new, strange, and wild world opened and I happily walked through, virtually and literally.
creativity

Wonder: The resilience of children

Christa Avampato
“Kids will grow like weeds on a fence. She says, they look for the light, they try to make sense. They come up through the cracks, like grass on the tracks.” -Suzanne Vega
Never underestimate what a child can do. Through the toughest circumstances, they rise up. They deserve our support and celebration. They are grappling with new perspectives that we cannot even begin to understand. Their lens on the world is different from ours and they have so much to teach us. Pay attention to them because they are whispering of the world that has yet to be.
(Many thanks to my friend, Carolyn, for sending me this quote.)
creativity

Wonder: I’m going to be a homeowner

Christa Avampato

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!

creativity

Wonder: A wrong righted 10 years later

Christa Avampato

 

10 years ago, I interviewed at a large retail company for a summer internship while I was an MBA student at Darden. It was my top pick for an internship and I was proceeding well in the process. The final step was a psychological evaluation that was supposed to be a formality. Instead, the psychologist dug into my family history for over an hour. She asked me a lot of very painful questions and was very judgmental about my childhood. I stood my ground, told the truth, didn’t crack, and stated how I did the best I could in the circumstances I was born into. I didn’t get the internship, and I was heartbroken. I thought the story was over, but it wasn’t.

A few months ago I received a letter from a law firm. A class action lawsuit was filed against this retail company for discriminatory hiring practices. The HR records had been subpoenaed and unsealed, and it was deemed that I may be due a payment for damages. I confirmed that I interviewed with the company during the time period in question, sent the letter back, and never gave it another thought.

When I arrived home yesterday, I had a letter from the law firm.The retailer confessed to its discriminatory practices, and settled out of court. The letter contained a check for damages. Not a huge check, but one that I can put to good use. I was shocked. I’m still shocked. I actually cried a little. And then I cried a lot. Not out of sadness, but out of relief.

I didn’t realize how badly I’d felt about this incident all these years. When you grow up without enough, you think you aren’t enough. It is a painful fact of growing up poor. And as much as I have grown into a strong, resilient, and confident woman, there is a small part of me who still carries around this slightest feeling of shame. I’ve learned to use it to go further, try harder, and reach higher.

That incident 10 years ago with the retailer brought all of those feelings into clear focus. I wasn’t mad that I didn’t get that internship. I was ashamed and deeply embarrassed because I knew that my family history made them turn me down. I was told I wasn’t good enough because I hadn’t grown up with enough. How hard I had worked for so many years to lift myself up didn’t matter to this company. And in fact it was a black mark against me.

So getting that check yesterday was a nice thing financially, but that is such a small benefit compared to what it means to me on a much more profound level. That is karma. That is the universe righting a wrong. That is the reward of standing tall, and not letting small-minded people get you down. That is proof to me that our authenticity, work ethic, and determination to making meaning of our past does get rewarded. It can take time. It can often take too much time. But it happens. It happens.

creativity

Wonder: Kennedy Center Arts Summit today

Christa Avampato

I’m spending today at the Kennedy Center Arts Summit presented in association with the Aspen Institute Arts Program and Citizen University.

“The Arts Summit is an annual spring convening, hosted by the Kennedy Center, designed to bring thought leaders from the arts and related fields together for conversation and connection. Set to be held in Washington, DC on April 25, 2016, the 2016 edition of the Summit will focus on Citizen Artistry, the idea of using the arts to influence positive change in people’s lives. Together, we will examine this idea, and its application in today’s society, through the lens of ideals John F. Kennedy set forth for our country during his Presidency: courage, service, justice, freedom, gratitude, exploration, and innovation. The program will serve as a blueprint and launching pad for both the Kennedy Center’s celebration of JFK’s 100th Birthday during the 2016-17 season, and for new collaborations and initiatives among participants.”

There are many ways for you to participate today, even if you can’t be at the event in D.C.

The agenda for the day can be found here.
The livestream will screen here.
Follow along on Twitter via the hashtag #artssummit.
I’ll be sharing what I’m seeing and hearing here.

creativity

Wonder: Looking for a home in D.C.

Christa Avampato

That’s it. I’m buying a home in D.C. After investigating my rental options, I discovered that buying is both less expensive and makes better long-term financial sense. In some ways it’s scary to put down these kinds of roots. In other ways, it’s freeing and comforting. I’ve decided to not be afraid and to channel all my energy into the excitement of becoming a homeowner for the first time. It’s one of the main reasons I moved to D.C., and now it’s time to make it happen. I’m madly in love with this city and I’m so glad I chose to move here for a thousand different reasons.

I have an amazing agent (Sharif Ibrahim) and an equally amazing loan officer (Mark Eigenbrode). I hit the jackpot with this combination of real estate talent and knowledge. I’m lucky beyond belief, and I know it.

So here’s to finding a home this week and making an offer. That’s my big goal, and I’m going for it!

creativity

Wonder: Bitter or better

Christa Avampato

Next week I turn 40, and this is my greatest lesson in life so far: if something doesn’t go my way, I’ve got two choices – I can choose to let it make me bitter or make me better. In my life, most things haven’t gone my way. They went the way they had to go to turn me into the person I am. And no, that’s not necessarily fair. Sometimes it’s downright unfair, but those are the times I learn the most – about myself, about others, and about the world. And yes, that learning can be painful and disappointing, but I’m grateful, in hindsight, for every ounce of it.

On the cusp of 40, I’ve made a decision – from here on out, I’m only getting better. I don’t have time for bitter.

creativity

Wonder: Be always blooming

Christa Avampato

be-always-bloomingSunday was a pretty spectacular day. I did most of my must-do items on Saturday so Sunday was a day to do whatever I wanted. It warmed up into the 60s, and Phin and I took a 2+ hour walk around our neighborhood. We enjoyed the sun, the warmth, and the many people and pups who stopped us to say hello. Every restaurant had its outdoor seating open. You could see the warmth seeping into people’s faces and opening up their smiles.

It’s supposed to snow on Friday. Though I do like the chilly weather, I’m looking forward to more than a taste of spring. It will be here in just a few short weeks. For me, the seasons are just the right length here in Washington, D.C. Just when I’m ready for a change, it arrives. No matter what the season, something’s always blooming.

creativity

Wonder: It’s time to be planted

Christa Avampato
Be planted
Be planted

“Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.” ~Christine Caine

Some of my friends are in a tough spot right now. They’re having a tough time seeing a way forward. They feel knocked down and dragged out into situations that they didn’t see coming and wouldn’t have chosen for themselves. This is a tough place to be. It’s uncomfortable. It feels hopeless. It’s disappointing.

In moments like this, I find that this quote by Christine Caine is most powerful. Take what you can learn from these awful experiences, even if they are lessons you had no interest in learning. Let them strengthen your resolve, refine your talents, and sharpen your skills of observation. Watch for actions and outcomes. Step back and clearly identify what you would do differently, and why, and how that might change things.

This is your time of incubation. This is a time of growth and evolution that can lead you to a personal revolution if you take the opportunity as it comes. Be planted so that when the light returns, you can shine.

creativity

Wonder: Remake your space for your future self

Christa Avampato
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Who will you be?

“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” ~Marie Kondo

So often we define ourselves by where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished, not where we’re going nor what we’re working on. We let our past determine our future. What if we decided to craft ourselves in the image of our dreams? How much further would we go and how much more would we do if we exchanged our anchors for wings? I’d like to find out. Are you in?