Meet Robyn Greene Arrington | Writer. Producer. Director. Podcaster. Creative Executive. Creative Counsultant/Advisor.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robyn Greene Arrington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robyn, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I remember when I first heard the concept of work-life balance at the start of my professional career. I understood it superficially. But, like life, it has been a decades-long journey for me to embrace and employ it. The turning point was in 2016, the Sunday before Martin Luther King Day when I woke up with my left leg four times larger than my right one. That day, I learned that I had DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and what DVT meant.

Yet even after that awakening, it would be five more years of experimenting with work-life balance, then Covid creating the Petri dish to test work-life integration. My mom always advised my dad, brother, and me that a job is not worth our lives. She resigned from her supervisory position as a blood chemist, which she loved and held for over 30 years, when the work environment became toxic, figuratively. Following her example, I resigned from my position as head of programming and production with a major promotion on the table when I was unable to balance the ever-increasing workload with my personal life goals and roles, including caregiver. It makes total sense that my mother’s health challenges would ultimately set me on the path to work-life harmony. Just about three years later, I am still fine-tuning this skill.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am told that I came into the world vocalizing, which makes sense because once I learned words, a lifelong love affair began with them.

But this was not an exclusive love affair because, at a young age, I also developed another one with television.

Although it would be over a decade later, my first loves are why I chose to major in broadcast journalism in college.  Three pivotal developments elevated my career goal, from the personal glory and fame of being an on-air talent to serving others by working behind the scenes as a producer.

First, one day in class, a well-meaning  professor who worked at a still major newspaper shared  an unspoken but widespread rule that was practiced by many news organizations, “The nigger on Saturday night in Harlem.” Translation,  news about black people only mattered if there weren’t any other mainstream happenings.

Next, I took an elective documentary class, which expanded my understanding of journalism.

Third, another professor took me aside during a mock newscast assignment. He told me that my dexterity in managing the different personalities of my classmates while juggling their various aspects of the assignment was the essence of producing.

What prepared me for those watershed moments were my weekends in Harlem.

On Sundays, I attended St. James Presbyterian Church with my family in faith, including opera trailblazers and working Broadway professionals. It was on the pulpit that I learned to use my voice—luckily for more than singing. My public speaking and confidence were being nurtured.

On Saturdays, next door, at The Harlem School of the Arts, an institution that was born in my church, I took Suzuki violin, art, piano, drama, and ballet.  Although I am still tone-death and rhythmless, my appreciation of art, culture, and spirituality developed during this formidable time.

Despite my parents being non-professional musicians, they are also college graduates. And in our household, it wasn’t a question of whether my brother and I were going to college; instead, it was about what we would study.

I credit my mom for my creative use of language and my dad for my choice of words. From high school to graduate school, he was my unofficial writing coach.

Being born into a large, diverse family spread across The States allowed me to hone my relationship-building skills organically and with ease.  Along with my other R’s, reputation, reliability, resourcefulness, and resilience, I was ready to enter the workforce.

Unbeknownst to me, freelancing, which I thought was a failure compared to my parents’ career trajectory,  afforded me to explore the media industry.

Moving around afforded me the opportunity to learn real-world production and dealmaking and to move up faster to producer than a network creative executive.

Was it hard work?  Yes! Yet, my most significant challenge and lesson were work-life balance and work-life harmony, respectively. It wasn’t until 2016, on the Sunday before the Martin Luther King holiday, when I woke with a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) that I learned what it was and my purpose.  Writing was my balm during the months of my life-threatening health scare.

My film, #exercises /in/fertility, was birthed from the loss of my womb.  My latest script is inspired by my mom’s health challenges. And the podcast that I am co-developing was conceived in the spirit of health support groups.

As an infertility survivor, I have a keen ability to create content about health & wellness with organically inspiring and relatable stories.

I take great pride in consistently empowering others to find their purpose, voice, and hope—par for the course as Robyn… The Creative Doula.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Sharing is ingrained in me. My mom taught me that ‘you can’t take anything to the grave.’ That wisdom resonates in every aspect of my life, including when I give my signature mind, body, and soul tour of my New York tri-state (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey).

The West Side Highway and East River/FDR Drive form a loop around the borough of Manhattan. Experiencing this simple yet spectacular drive sets my guest’s readiness to be amazed in motion.

For instance, the realization that most of New York City (NYC) is not like Manhattan but instead a hybrid of the suburbs, which are often just a hop, skip, and jump over the borders of the outer boroughs (The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island).

Immersing ourselves in the rich cultural tapestry of the tri-state will also be a highlight of the tour. Whether we visit the historic African-American Gold Cost of NY, Addisleight Park, The Lewis Latimer House Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, The Weeksville Heritage Center, Lincoln Center, The Studio Museum in Harlem, The New York Botanical Garden, The Louis Armstrong House Museum, The Edgar Allen Poe Cottage, the site of the former Polo Grouds stadium, the location of the former Seneca Village in present-day Central Park, The African Burial Ground National Monument or like, it will be a historical and sociological adventure. We’ll delve into the stories of these places, their significance in the region’s history, and their impact on the local communities.

Of course, we will catch a theatrical performance and/or participate in a book reading or writing workshop.

For souvenirs, we will explore an array of quirky to spiritual shops around the tri-state, seeking crystals, gemstones, sacred herbs, candles, essential oils, incense, and the like.

Nothing beats spending a day sunbathing or frolicking in the water at a Long Island Sound beach in New York or Connecticut; the sunset is stunning, per usual —we can pray, at least.

If we still thirst for water wellness, we will spend a day at one of the varied bathhouses. Or we could get pampered at a spa instead. Offering simple elegance to luxurious decadence, there are many choices in the New York tri-state.

Nightly, we’ll go into the boroughs and out to the burbs to indulge in diverse culinary delights for every type of craving. Authentic Italian, Asian, and Mexican cuisines cater to my taste. As my mother’s daughter, I can delight in fresh seafood meals on the waterfront at City Island, Freeport, Sheepshead Bay, and all the distinct towns along the Westchester and Connecticut coastline.

Every day will be magically holistic, feeding my guest’s body, mind, and soul, who will leave fulfilled yet longing to return for more.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother, Dorothy M. Greene, taught me, “You can’t take anything to the grave.” My father, Robert B. Greene, showed, by example, the importance of social responsibility.

Both of their careers were/are in the medical industry. It is not a coincidence that health and wellness are the themes of my creations, whether written, visual, or audio.

Synergizing my parents’ expertise with my passion for storytelling is why I AM. I AM their creation, Robyn… The Creative Doula.

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/robyngreenearrington

Other: My short film “#exercises/in/fertility” is currently streaming on Mansa.com at https://www.mansa.com?title=movie-848. You can check out the trailer for the film at https://vimeo.com/user137646114.

Image Credits
Karriem Simmons (podcast headshot) Family Photo Derek Blanks (headshot in color block dress) Kennedy Meals (podcast pictures during the show) Amir Horton (movie set photos)