There are many things I can relate to in this magazine. However, the short story, "Silence Is Golden" by Kiana Blount, took everything I ever wanted to say out of my mouth and put it into print. Her expressive story focuses on her experience with being called quiet throughout grade school and teachers complaining about her quietness. Blount then proceeds to write a detailed description of how frustrated and upset she is about being labeled as "the quiet student" or being told to "speak up."
     As an introverted person like Kiana, this story speaks to me on a personal level. The line that really stands out to me in particular is, "My lack of participation wasn't because I didn't know what was going on or I didn't care, but because it's not in my nature to share my thoughts verbally on a regular basis." I wish I could tell this to every teacher and classmate that has ever asked me the dreaded question, "Why don't you talk more?" Kiana successfully tells the readers, who might not be dealing with the same problem as her, what it's like to be demeaned for choosing not to say anything when really, quietness is part of her personality. She uses evocative phrases and asks eye-opening questions to get her point across.
     It brings me comfort knowing that there are other people, such as the author, who have the same issue as me. Hopefully, more people understand that being quiet or shy isn't a flaw after reading Kiana's story and realize that silence truly is golden.