Page 114 - Metropolis Megazine No.120 International

TINA

Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) initially ticularly from Sydney, is not only
presents herself as a barrier, re- professional, it is emotional. It
sisting change, questioning the is being seen. She is valued not
authority of new arrivals, and in spite of her contributions, but
testing boundaries. For someone precisely because of them. As she
like her, who has survived daily finds her place in the new structu-
chaos without the right to rein- re, Tina becomes one of the silent
vent herself, the promise of so- pillars of the kitchen, someone
mething new always sounds like who doesn't need to say much to
a threat—and later in the story, support others. She remains prac-
we understand why. But slowly, tical, direct, and distrustful—and
Tina transforms, and what once that is precisely why her care car-
seemed like rigidity reveals itself ries so much weight. Her care is
to be something else: experience, significant because it originates
instinct, and resilience. This is not from a person who doesn't take it
a sudden conversion but a gradual lightly. Unlike many others, Tina
opening up—a process in which doesn't aim to reinvent herself;
respect is earned, not imposed. she desires to integrate into some-
The validation she receives, par- thing without losing her identity.

114 METROPOLIS JULY 2025