The Dallas Cowboys are often called America’s Team, yet their reach extends well beyond U.S. borders. As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, one Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader is forging connections on both sides of the border through her culture, identity, and ambition.

Julissa Garcia was born and raised in Odessa, Texas, in a household deeply tied to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Her parents instilled in her a dual sense of identity rooted in the American dream, and another in her Mexican heritage.

Her dream to form part of the Dallas Cowboys legacy, Garcia said, began decades ago.

“I always say that my journey with DCC started when I was six years old,” Garcia said. “My parents took me to a DCC camp back at Valley Ranch in 2008…In that moment, I told my mom, ‘When I grow up, I want to b

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