Nina Daniele is comfortable with being uncomfortable. “I find some satisfaction in it,” April Playmate says. The only child of artist parents, she’s all buoyant energy and unapologetic candor. She’s also an introspective extrovert with an infectiously frequent giggle.

In between modeling jobs, Nina has satisfied herself with quieter pursuits, studying photography (she uses her mom’s old Pentax K1000 to snap photos on black-and-white film) and majoring in creative writing in college. “For years, writing was all I did, and I wasn’t sure if I was living to write or writing to live. I didn’t know if it was a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy and I was doing things just so I could write about them.” Now the native New Yorker is more interested in relishing the moment and teasing herself with what might come next.

Playboy seems to hit a nerve with a lot of people. They’re either extremely positive, intrigued and supportive, telling me they’ve always wanted to pose nude themselves, or they are appalled, concerned for the welfare of my family or suggest I seek salvation in the Lord. Luckily, the only person who’s opinion of me that matters is my own. What I chose to do with my body and how I do it does not involve anyone else, and if they can’t let it go, their lives must be very boring. People will say, “You just want attention! How does taking off your clothing empower women? What do you even stand for?” Of course I want attention, hello! Have you seen my Instagram? It’s called being an only child.

But taking your clothes off doesn’t imply empowerment. That’s too literal. It implies that I don’t care what you have to say about my body. It is just the shell of the person inside and I refuse to let what you or society say about me dim my light and taint my truth as a person, as a human, and as a woman. I consciously make this choice before stepping on set, and that is why nothing and no one can get to me. Posing nude is a metaphor for building my armor: the stronger and more impervious I become, the more my spirit has a fighting chance to grow unaffected by outside thoughts and opinions of me, thus allowing me to become the person I was always meant to be. Allowing me to show other girls and other women we are not the opinions of society; we are the opinions of ourselves, and we are beautiful because we say we are.

Playboy has been a pioneer since day one; I am elated to be a part of this chapter. I am ecstatic to be your Playmate of the Year, to be a part of the movement that allows women to stand in our truth, with and for each other, with Cooper Hefner as our captain.Even though I’m French and Italian, I have a background of savage blood; those who follow my Instagram know that I love drama. And many have asked me, “Nina, what would you have done if you didn’t win Playmate of the Year?” Well…I guess we’ll never know.