twitter @jaypride3 / snap @jastill / ig @jayastill

They stand tall and so proud omg 

 was admitted to Julliard at 8.  

was performing in top venues by 16.  

pioneered “swinging the classics” and made the equivalent of a million dollars a year doing it.  

was the first person of color to have their own national TV show.  

went to Hollywood but refused to be cast as a “singing maid.”  Demanded and got control over her casting, her wardrobe, and how footage featuring her was cut.  

refused to perform in segregated venues and led charges for integration in several northern cities, notably Spokane.  

Now that Avatar is on Netflix in the US I get to enjoy all these gags again surrounding Toph’s blindness. It honestly impressed me how it was seriously humorous they were able to make these punchlines without it feeling jarring or downright off putting basing humor around someone’s visual disability.