As a solo carer to her two boys, Briana Blackett rarely has the time to reflect on her life and achievements. Following her chat with ABC’s Richard Fidler, she urges everyone to have the ‘Conversations experience’.
If aliens landed on my lawn and said ‘take me to your leader’, without hesitation I’d put them in touch with Richard Fidler. For years now I’ve been listening to his radio show Conversations on the ABC. In it, he talks to an incredibly broad church of people, and I figure, if anyone can speak to the human condition, it would be Richard.
Over the years, I’ve become engrossed in the stories of guests on his show - often people that have done quite extraordinary things. Rowed solo across an ocean. Made a compelling scientific discovery. Or unearthed an incredible hidden history.
Never did I think I would one day be invited to be one of his guests. I am simply a carer, raising two autistic boys on her own in suburban Sydney. So it came as quite a surprise to get a call from Richard’s producer asking me if I’d like to be on the show.
The Fan Girl in me jumped at the chance. But the carer in me marvelled that I ever reached the point at which I’d be comfortable telling my own story.
It took me a long time to speak publicly about the road my boys and I walk. At times, our family life is raw and messy. Often, there is no clear path despite my best efforts. Sometimes, I feel like we’re playing one big game of whack-a-mole as we battle to exist in systems not designed for us.
On another level, since becoming a carer, I often feel like I have no voice - and with it, no value. So much of what we do as carers is unseen and unacknowledged - not that we seek recognition. Much of my identity is wrapped up in what I need to do, so it’s easy to forget who I am.
The beauty of a show like Conversations is that its host expertly brings you to your present day by reminding you of how you got there. The childhood memories of nights on your grandma’s verandah. The dodgy first jobs (or the dodgy way you got them). Touching down in a new town for the first time. All those little stories that, over time, add up to something quite profound - our everyday selves.
If you have the time and energy, I encourage everyone to recreate the ‘Conversations experience’ for themselves. Pull out those photos and letters. Scroll through those pics and emails. Call a friend for a “remember when…” chat.
Relive some of those unforgettable moments - the easy, the hard, the hilarious and the heartbreaking. You might be surprised at how amazing your life has been. And you just might find that, should aliens land on your lawn and ask you to take them to your leader, you step forward and say, ‘that’d be me’.
Briana Blackett
Briana Blackett is a journalist and advocate for her two children with disability. After more than 20 years in TV news, she now works for Hireup as part of its Communications and Advocacy team.
