Geri Jewell

From Buffalo, New York, Jewell was born to Olga and Jack Jewell. She has two brothers, David and Fred; her sister Gloria died in 2016. Due to a car accident Jewell's mother was in, while pregnant with her, Jewell was born three months early. She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eighteen months old. Growing up, Jewell's parents were determined not to raise her differently from the rest of their children, lest she think she wasn't as capable as her siblings. After her diagnosis of cerebral palsy, Jewell and her family moved to Orange County, California so that she could have access to better care as well as schools that could accommodate her needs. Jewell was inspired by Carol Burnett and wrote Burnett a letter when she was thirteen, asking her for advice since she too wanted to be a comedic actress. Burnett wrote back to her, telling her to “keep putting one foot in front of the other until you get where you want to go”, which Jewell did. Later on in life, Jewell went with a friend to see Carol Burnett perform. After she dropped out of college, Jewell began work as a stand-up comic at The Comedy Store in 1978. ==Career==

The Facts of Life In 1980, Jewell was offered a role on The Facts of Life. The show ended up being one of the longest-running TV sitcoms in the 1980s. The Facts of Life was a spin-off from ''Diff'rent Strokes,'' which featured Edna Garrett, the housekeeper in the Drummond household. Garrett was written into the new show as a housemother, and later a dietitian, at the fictitious Eastland private school. Jewell first appeared in the show's second season. Her role as Geri Tyler, the cousin of Blair, was groundbreaking. She was the first disabled actor to have a recurring role on a TV series. She was on The Facts of Life for twelve episodes and her contract ended in 1984. Not only was Jewell fired from The Facts of Life, but her then-manager was also arrested for embezzlement and securities fraud. Jewell was left broke and without professional representation. Jewell was asked to speak at the White House about her disability in 1985. She began her speech: “Love and fear cannot exist at the same time. One cannot exist in the presence of the other...[people are] not born into the world with prejudice; prejudice is a learned behavior. Fear is what stops us from loving genuinely”. Jewell told the audience at the White House to face their fears and uncertainties first in order to love others. This speech helped lead her to her next chapter as a motivational speaker. In 1986, Jewell said her new role as an advocate for the disabled allowed her to pick up the pieces of her life, and to find purpose. She also found success as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies on creating better accommodations and more inclusive culture for the disabled workforce. In 2011, Jewell published her autobiography, I’m Walking As Straight As I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond, which later won a 2013 Golden Halo Award, and the 2013 UCP Life Without Limits Award. She discussed the frustration of constantly being cast solely for her disability. Although representation is important, she said, she would have liked Hollywood to see her as an actor who could play roles not specifically written for someone with cerebral palsy. == Awards ==

Jewell has been the recipient of many awards, including the 1992 Founders Award, the 2005 Independent Living Legacy Award, and a National Rehabilitation Hospital Victory Award (in 2006). Jewell's most recent autobiography, ''I'm Walking as Straight as I Can'', received the 2012 Gold Award by the Independent Publishers. Further, Jewel also received the 2013 Golden Halo Award and the 2013 UCP Life Without Limits Award. ==Filmography==