She's been visiting us daily in our loungerooms for over two decades now, through floods, fires, rallies and even the pandemic. Always eloquent and poised, she has been a voice of reassurance that we so unknowingly needed when it seemed the world had gone mad.

Narelda Jacobs knew she was always destined for the newsroom. Journalism normalised and admired by Jacobs as a young girl while she watched her father, a reverend and activist for Aboriginal rights, engage in interviews from their loungeroom and over the phone. A natural with pen to paper, it was telling stories Jacobs enjoyed most and from age 12 she already knew she wanted to be a journalist someday.

"My dad would always be called upon. I'd constantly be answering calls from journalists wanting comment from my dad on various things and there were always TV camera's or reporters around because he was so involved in Aboriginal politics." Jacobs shared.

"It kind of normalized journalism for me. There was no mystery to journalism. I could see it in action and I loved the idea of them having the power of interviewing someone and then telling the story back to people who are watching on TV or reading in the newspaper or listening on the radio."

Set on her path and with her goals in mind Jacobs knew what she needed to do to make it, but like any good story the main character will always have a bump in the road. Jacobs did not make it to university straight out of high school like she expected, and she auditioned three times before being accepted into the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, famously known as WAAPA.

Graduating in 1999, it was in 2000 that Jacobs applied for a job with Channel 10 and she has stayed on her journey with them since. Originally a road reporter she was on the road for 8 years before finding a seat at the news desk, where she made herself quite comfortable, and soon became one of Perth's most reliable faces on television.

After 12 years presenting the Perth news it was time for Jacobs to see how much further she could push herself, and with an offer to host Studio 10 from Sydney the small city girl found herself in the big smoke and she hasn't looked back since.

Opportunities continue to land on her door, she is one of the busiest women in television in the country right now, but as the lights shine bright over Jacobs in the studio it is the work she has done off camera that sets Jacobs and her team a part from any other network on Australian free to air TV.

Leading the way in decolonizing the small screen, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of the Paramount and Network Ten agendas. With a little push from Jacobs herself and the support of her colleagues, Studio 10 and news bulletins are now met with an official Acknowledgement of Country each day, being filmed on Gadigal land, as well as respecting and acknowledging the traditional names of our major cities on the weather map and in their on-screen graphics.

"When I started I would never have believed this could be possible at a commercial network." Jacobs reflected.

"The entire network has just gotten around it. My colleagues have embraced it and our leadership team has been 100 percent behind it."

With her team behind her, Jacobs has become more than just the face for news, her passion for humans shines so brightly through the cameras of Studio 10 where she says her role in the industry got deeper.

"Visibility is everything. But without substance, visibility only goes so far." Jacobs shared.

"Over the last couple of decades of being a newsreader and a reporter, that's where it ended for me. I was just there. Just the face of news without being able to have the freedom to say the things I felt or thought because we are expected to be unbiased and completely independent."

"Now being on the talk show people are wanting my opinions. So I'm like, ok, I'm going to give it to you," she half-heartedly jokes.

"Now I get to say the things that aren't being said and that need to be said and that gives substance back to my visibility."

A driver for change and an advocate for not only the First Nation communities Jacobs has proudly stood in solidarity with her LGBTQIA+ community and her hard work is now being recognised as she was named a Rainbow Champion for WorldPride 2023.

There are 45 Rainbow Champions named this year as Mardi Gras celebrates its 45th anniversary since the first march in 1978. Alongside Jacobs will stand other First Nations champions including musical artist Casey Donavan and Nungala Creative founder and designer Jessica Johnson.

"It's just such a lovely recognition of representation." says Jacobs.

" I've always thought that I haven't really done enough."

"But anyone with a platform has a responsibility, however big the platform. Even if it is just a social media account with any followers at all, you have a responsibility to speak your truth and represent."

Jacobs tackles the tough questions head on, never swaying from her beliefs, every word said with conviction and taking every interaction as opportunity to share love and compassion. But courage like this comes with a price and cultural exhaustion is very real.

Jacobs speaks of the importance of selfcare and sharing moments with loved ones that allows her to continue solidly in her representation.

"I walk. I walk to and from work every day and I have an internal dialogue running the whole time. That is where I dissect conversation that I have had or think about how I could have done better in that interaction. Its constant." she shares.

"When I was on holidays though, it was taking that internal dialogue to Instagram that allowed an outlet for me. I wasn't speaking in a public forum so I could just say what I was feeling at the time."

The creative outlet showing the hilarious side of Jacobs, her humour and ability to see the funny side to life as well as sharing her own healing journey as she moves through the waves of loss and grief.

This is what makes Narelda Jacobs a star and is how she connects with viewers through the screens in our homes. She has an ability to connect with people and share in acceptance, compassion and truth. Something we do not see so much of these days, but how lucky we are to have someone represent Mob and the human race with such class.