As a now local celebrity in the Phoenix Valley, Oscar has had the privilege of meeting wonderful people and doing amazing things, but not without a lot of hard work, dedication, and sacrifices. As busy as it gets, he doesn’t forget about giving back to his community.
Photo Credit: Diane Elizais Donati
Oscar de las Salas was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. He grew up surrounded by fashion and bright colors, which explain his passion for style and all things fashion.
With education being such an important part of his life, Oscar found himself traveling to receive the best education. He graduated as an architect from Pilot University of Columbia. He worked for the American Embassy in Bogota Colombia for four years before the projects came to an end.
He decided to continue his education and traveled to Spain to get his Masters in Architectural Interiors. When looking for a place to write his thesis project, he found himself traveling to Phoenix, Arizona. With just three pieces of luggage at hand, Oscar came to the United States with almost nothing but his work Visa.
Among Oscar’s many skills are his fluency in multiple languages. He speaks, writes and reads Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and English. Oscar believes that while being of a different ethnicity is a good thing in other countries, it is a disadvantage in Arizona. While Oscar is fluent in English, it was not always that way. He had a hard time expressing himself, especially at work. “Imagine knowing this much and not being able to say it,” said Oscar.
As if things weren’t hard enough, Oscar had to deal with even more put-downs when others found out he was gay. However, Oscar did not let all the insults slow him down. He only let it help him learn and grow as an individual. He pushed himself to attend Phoenix College and took English and composition classes to help with his speech and writing abilities.
Oscar is the proud owner of “O” Productions, LLC. As a businessman, Oscar has learned the definition of hard work.
While architecture is still in Oscar’s background, he has taken a big role in the fashion community here in the valley. He plays every role from stylist, to producer, and even emcee for local fashion shows and events.
With all the success Oscar has had, he made sure not to leave his community behind. “Everything I do I bring my Hispanics with me…I bring my heritage with me,” he said. He makes sure to give back to the people that need it most. He participates in many non-profit organizations, where he donates his time and talents.
Photo Credit: Diane Elizais Donati
Oscar has become a voice for individuals that don’t have one. “My goals are not to find solutions, but to give tools to find solutions,” said Oscar. He wants to give people the tools needed to succeed on their own.
He is very proud of how far Hispanics have come across the U.S. “Things are changing…there is no problem with an accent anymore,” Oscar said.
With Oscar’s popularity growing quickly, he has noticed how vicious some people could be. He has been criticized on Facebook, but he makes sure not to let it get the best of him. Oscar does not wish to ever reach fame, “that’s something I don’t take in my life…fame comes with many complications,” Oscar said. He just wants recognition at a lower level.
Oscar does not plan to slow down any time soon. He has big things planned for the near future, and is excited to see what life has in store for him.
