Geri Jewell

Geraldine Ann 'Geri' Jewell (born September 13, 1956) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, diversity consultant, and motivational speaker. She is known for her roles on the 1980s sitcom The Facts of Life and the mid-2000s western Deadwood. Jewell, who has cerebral palsy, made history as one of the first individuals with a disability to appear on a TV sitcom. Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for people with disabilities and has also supported the LGBTQ community, publicly coming out as a lesbian in her 2011 autobiography. Born in Buffalo, New York, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eighteen months old. Jewell's parents raised her alongside her siblings without treating her differently, encouraging her to believe in her capabilities.