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Model Myla Dalbesio is no newbie to the modeling industry, but she has just been named one of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’s rookies of the year.
“This has been a goal of mine for a decade, and I am so proud to have gotten here,” Dalbesio shared on Instagram on Tuesday along with a sexy topless shot from the issue. “I hope that this can be an example for other women to continue to stand strong in their convictions and not be afraid to use their voice.”
The size-10 model says she is proud of achieving her goal without being a social media superstar.
“And for girls in the industry, I hope this is reassurance that you don’t need to have 1 million followers to be noticed,” she wrote. “You can still be judged by the quality of work you do and the person you are. Which, I think, is something to celebrate.”
Dalbesio broke boundaries in 2014 when she became the first model of her size to land a Calvin Klein underwear campaign.
“Life doesn’t work in only extremes, and true body diversity is everything and everyone,” she said on the Today show at the time. “It’s a range of sizes and shapes. It’s not just super skinny or just larger.”
This article originally appeared on People.com
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