“Learn how to tell your story, not just the story you tell other people, but what is the story you tell yourself about what you can do in your own head? What do you tell yourself you’re capable of?” Robb Chavis ’94 asked Milton students earlier this month. “What dreams do you tell yourself are too big? What happens when you’re telling your own story and reality doesn’t match? Don’t buy into the stories that other people tell about you. Don’t let history write your story for you.”
Chavis returned to campus as part of the 2025 DEIJ Speaker Series. A Humanitas Prize-winning and Emmy-nominated writer and producer, he is best known for his work on the acclaimed ABC sitcom Black-ish.
“I realize that I’m one of the fortunate people who’s found a job that aligns with my purpose,” said Chavis, who initially pursued a career in law. After earning his J.D. from Harvard Law School, he practiced as an attorney in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, and later worked in advertising. But ultimately, his passion for storytelling led him to television writing.
“The most important part is to fully invest in whatever you’re doing,” said Chavis, who emphasized that his journey into writing wasn’t the result of luck—it was the result of persistence.
Chavis draws inspiration from real stories and feelings when developing new ideas. Writers’ rooms, he said, are places where people “come up with stories and create something out of nothing.”
“The thing that’s unique about TV writing, the thing that I love about it most, is that it always takes a team,” he said, sharing a photo of the second writers’ room he ever worked in—alongside fellow Milton alum DJ Nash ’90.
Writers’ rooms, he explained, are full of all-day conversations and brainstorming sessions.
“We try to look for stories. We start to find attitudes and emotional journeys for the characters and put ideas up on a whiteboard, and start to shape out those scenes into a three-act story. When it’s working, TV writing is the best,” Chavis said. “You get to tell long stories. You get to live with the characters. You get to create people and put them in the real world or completely made-up situations, and make them do stuff. And when you get to set, hundreds of other people and other artists show up to bring that vision to life. They can make everything you saw in your head better. They help you create a world that you never could have imagined and make all of that come to life.”
During his talk, Chavis screened a scene from Black-ish in which Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) compete in a foot race—which he revealed was inspired by a real-life competition between him and his wife.
“I don’t try to capture my whole life. I’ve never even tried to tell the story of my life. I’m pretty sure it’s not that interesting. There’s a lot of sleeping and eating. But sharing pieces of yourself in your writing is much more interesting, and it makes you much more versatile. I can use pieces or aspects of my story to get what I need,” said Chavis. “I try to create characters who have their own personalities and make choices that I would never make. It’s more interesting to do it that way.”
For Chavis, storytelling is a way to challenge perspectives and spark reflection.
He enjoys telling stories because he can “take the world as we know and change it just a little bit to make people think about how they live or see the other people around you.”
According to Chavis, as an artist and writer, one’s voice and vision are unique. Even when ideas are shared in a community—like a writers’ room—they retain their singular origins.
“No one can copy it. No one can actually steal your ideas. You’re the only person who can bring the way you think to life in a story, so don’t be scared to share your ideas.”
He also encouraged students to remain open to life’s twists and turns. Chavis shared that he always thinks of his life as a hallway, keeping as many doors open as he could. “Life is longer than you think, and it will come in many different phases. Keep all the doors open and walk through a few of them along the way. Even if you end up going the wrong way for a while, you can always come back with something useful or valuable in the experience. I never could have imagined this is what my life would look like when I left here.”
Read more about Robb Chavis ’94 in the Spring 2024 edition of Milton Magazine: “The Joys (And Tribulations) of Writing for TV.”
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