00:00Armani and Jada, I just want to congratulate you
00:03on standing up for yourselves and fighting for the pay
00:05the squad deserved, even though you might not
00:09have benefited your final season.
00:10I'm getting a 400% increase, which is, like, life-changing.
00:19Happy isn't even the right word for it.
00:21I think I was just kind of felt like a relief,
00:23like everything had paid off.
00:25And it was, you know, finally we were done fighting.
00:29We pushed, and we got back good results.
00:32What drove you to continue to speak out,
00:35even though the odds may have been stacked against you?
00:37I think it's the love we have for our teammates.
00:40Like, truthfully, we say the word sisterhood all the time,
00:43but I don't think people know what it really means to us.
00:45And these people are our family.
00:47Like, we love these women like they're our sisters.
00:50And so knowing the struggles that we've had
00:52while being on the team, we wanted to, you know,
00:54lead this organization with some kind of good.
00:58And for us, it was fighting for their futures
01:00and their future finances while being cheerleaders.
01:04And so I think just, like, the love we have for one another
01:06and wanting to see one another succeed all around
01:09was something that really drove us to, you know,
01:12taking a stand and really speaking up.
01:14Charlie and Kelly, what was it like to watch these two vets and others go to bat for you
01:20and the next generation of dancers to come?
01:22They're so inspiring, and I feel like I constantly keep saying this,
01:26but they literally are truly just an amazing definition of what it is to be a leader.
01:32And we always say we're very lucky to have been in their little pot of rookies
01:37and get to witness because it's scary going into you're fighting for your life
01:42for us two times to try to be on this team.
01:44And when they're saying scary things like, we might do a walkout,
01:47you're like, oh, gosh, I don't know what I think about that.
01:50But it's trusting them.
01:51It's trusting them.
01:52We know that they have our best interest at heart.
01:55Clearly, they're the most selfless people ever.
01:57They're doing this, and they're not even getting the benefit from it.
02:00So I think that just speaks volumes of who they are as leaders.
02:03And I know all of us, every girl on the team looks up to that.
02:06Armani, thank you so much for opening up about your experience with alopecia.
02:11It was really wonderful to watch you and Rosemary
02:14go through the wig fitting process.
02:16They did some tests, and it did turn out that I have alopecia.
02:22OK, so I'm going to put this on.
02:23Let me know if it is too tight.
02:27OK.
02:29How do you feel about sharing that with the world?
02:32Honestly, I feel incredible.
02:34My entire goal for this was to just impact one person.
02:39So the fact that it's already impacted so many people
02:42just by me stepping out on a field and stepping into my truth
02:47and being 100% vulnerable, I am so grateful for the opportunity
02:52to have been able to do that.
02:54And I think it's big for the alopecia community.
02:57It's big for people who have felt for so long that they are by themselves
03:01or that no one else understands what they're going through.
03:04And because I have this platform where I can talk about it,
03:08I felt like what other way to do it than to, you know, just jump right in.
03:14Charlie, I'm so glad that you're in good health.
03:18I had a blood clot in my lung last month.
03:22It was a pulmonary embolism.
03:24The doctor said it killed the top part of your lungs,
03:28so it's deceased right now.
03:31And you are so lucky that it didn't go to your brain or your heart.
03:36How did that setback change things for you last year?
03:40Oh, my gosh, it was a roller coaster.
03:42And it like I truly did not think that I was going to audition
03:46because I could not function.
03:48I couldn't walk.
03:49My mom was truly my caretaker for two weeks.
03:51And I really don't know how I was able to send in that first video.
03:57I had my dance teacher on the other side like, come on, you can do it.
04:01Like it was mind over like body essentially at that point.
04:05And I prayed so hard, I've worked so hard, like I moved here.
04:09Why and I can't turn in a video like that's defeating.
04:12And that's it really broke my heart.
04:14But I I felt like in that moment, I was like, there's nothing that I will do to
04:21like I have to audition.
04:23That's just I just knew that in my heart.
04:25And so I did put my body through pretty much hell and back for that video,
04:29but it was worth it.
04:30And at the end of the day, it obviously led me here
04:32and I would want nothing other than to be here.
04:35So I'm great now, a long journey and a lot of blood thinners.
04:39But we're all good.
04:41I loved Kelly, that moment in the Omni,
04:44where you made sure that Charlie was taking the medication.
04:48You need to make sure you're taking those.
04:50Don't worry, I don't want it.
04:52So then you're going to take one at 1245 AM, right?
04:56Mm hmm.
04:57OK.
04:58Yeah, so cute.
04:59I mean, I witnessed it firsthand.
05:01I was there behind the scenes when she thought it was just a fever.
05:06And we were in this together from the beginning.
05:09We took me to urgent care.
05:10Actually, I did.
05:11Yes, that was the first time we thought it was a cold, a fever, the flow.
05:16We thought it was COVID.
05:17But yeah, I was there through it all.
05:18She was my right hand through this entire process.
05:22And I pushed her every step of the way, just like she pushed me.
05:25And I said, we're going to get through this together.
05:27Another moment that gave me chills was Kelly, your dad crying
05:31when you told him you made the team on FaceTime.
05:35What does it mean to your family that you achieved your dream?
05:51And did it become their collective dream?
05:54That's exactly what I was going to say.
05:55It was like they were going through this journey with me.
05:58They saw me from my best to my worst.
06:02And they wanted it for me just as bad as I wanted it.
06:05And it almost felt he's like we did it, you know, like he's living through me.
06:09And it was it was the sweetest thing.
06:10They're my biggest supporters.
06:11And I thank them every day for it.
06:14Jada, you are obviously such a selfless leader and friend, you know,
06:19and you were really there for Shandi this season when she needed you.
06:23The Bahamas was good.
06:24I think it was a nice refresh that we needed.
06:28Unfortunately, something happened.
06:31There is an elephant in the room and it is known by every single person on the team, on the staff.
06:37Can you tell me how you supported her through her trying time and how she is today?
06:43Yeah, well, she's doing great.
06:45Honestly, I've been through a lot in life and I've learned to forgive people for their mistakes.
06:53And I just wanted Shandi to know that, you know, no matter what happened or didn't happen,
06:57that she was forgiven.
06:58She's a human being and she deserves the grace that we all deserve.
07:02But I just always checked in with her, you know, would send her a text or if she needed me.
07:07I was like, text me, call me.
07:08We can talk about it.
07:09We'll figure this out, you know, together.
07:11You're still an important person on this team.
07:14The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are 36 women.
07:16We're not 35.
07:17And so there was no way that we were just going to kind of kick her to the curb and let her be on her own.
07:21You know, she was still an important member of this organization and I wanted her to remember that.
07:26And so I think honestly, just being a soundboard for her, just letting her know, like, if you need to talk about it, I'm here.
07:32And I think she felt that, you know, she was comfortable reaching out to me or we would drive together a couple of times just so if she was in her head,
07:39she had someone to talk to and talk about, you know, what was going on and how she was feeling.
07:44And we did get to the point where it kind of just became something we could laugh about, you know, just not being so serious about it all.
07:51I know it was a serious, you know, situation, but moving forward and just continuing on with life, I think, is the best way to handle things,
07:58not dwelling on the past and on the situation.
08:01But I think she's doing better now and, you know, she's retiring as well.
08:04And I think she's excited for what's next in her life.
08:07And we're excited for her, too.
08:08You know, this was an important chapter of her life, but I think there's more out there for her.
08:12And so we're excited to see her excel in whatever she does next.
08:15That's amazing.
08:16And that leads me to my next question.
08:18You know, Armani and Jada, how is life after DCC?
08:23Is there life after DCC?
08:25Is there? I don't know.
08:27We're still doing stuff, so we didn't tell you yet.
08:32We hope there is life after DCC.
08:34And I think we're both looking forward to life after.
08:36You know, this is such a special part of our lives and a part of their lives.
08:42Wears the uniform, but at the end of the day, it does have to come to an end.
08:45And that's the bittersweet part of it all, is we can say we did it.
08:48And then we get to live another chapter of life and see what comes after it.
08:51So I think we still have big goals for ourselves and things we both want to achieve.
08:56And I think we're looking forward to giving those things more time.
08:59Yeah. And especially cheering on the girls who are re-auditioning for this year.
09:03And, you know, we have a lot of friends on the team, obviously.
09:05And so, you know, cheering them on, cheering on the girls who will one day, you know,
09:10put on the boots themselves, the incoming rookies.
09:13It's going to be a rewarding process watching all of those girls.
09:16For my Omni girls, what is each of yours Taco Bell's order?
09:21Can we get the Doritos Loco Taco Supreme?
09:24Okay.
09:26And then can I get...
09:27Do you want one?
09:29One. Did you get two things or one thing?
09:31I'm getting two.
09:33Ooh, what's my Taco Bell order?
09:36I'm on Omni girl.
09:37Crunchwrap Supreme?
09:39Oh, yes.
09:40A Crunchwrap Supreme are just like a basic taco and a Baja Blast.
09:44Cheesy bean and rice burrito.
09:46I know it was a coffee, but I do love Taco Bell.
09:49I like the chicken bowl, the new one.
09:52I don't need... the Cantina Chicken Bowl, that's what it's called.
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