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Kelly says theater was not only an outlet to help her express herself, but it eventually became her chosen career path.
“As I grew older, I learned to offset the initial stares I received … with an outgoing personality that would not give in to ‘No,’ she writes. “This meant that I tried everything! From baseball, to dance to diving, there was nothing I would not try. I found my passion within a world where I was giving people permission to stare … the stage.”
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/nicole-kelly-born-with-one-arm-wins-miss-iowa/
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Miss Iowa 2013, Nicole Kelly

Nicole Kelly, Born With One Arm, Wins Miss Iowa
Nicole Kelly, 23, may have been born without her left forearm, but that didn’t stop her from her being crowned Miss Iowa on June 8 after a three-day competition in Davenport.
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“A year ago, I certainly didn’t see ‘pageant titleholder’ in my future,” Kelly writes on her “Meet Miss Iowa” biography page. “Perhaps I didn’t originally envision this path, but I now know that being Miss Iowa is the perfect fit for me, and I feel so blessed to be surrounded by people who have encouraged me every step of the way. Giving a voice to my platform, Overcoming Disabilities, is a tremendous honor, and I am thrilled to continue my adventure by speaking out and touching lives as Miss Iowa 2013.”
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/06/nicole-kelly-born-with-one-arm-wins-miss-iowa/
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Nicole refuses to hide her disabilityIncredible Features / Barcroft Media
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Miss Iowa 2013, Nicole Kelly
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