Oscar Rosales Castaneda

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Articles by Oscar Rosales Castaneda

Cultural appropriation as colonial residue

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | October 23rd, 2019

Real Change columnist

Fall means an abrupt change of the seasons in the Pacific Northwest, as perpetually overcast skies arrive for their months-long stay. The season also brings a tangible and figurative connection between life and death, as evidenced by the popular cultural...

Untethering heritage

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | September 25th, 2019

Real Change columnist

Upon eclipsing the mid-month point, we transition into the odd ceremonial recognition of “Hispanic” identity. I feel conflicted that this event systematically pushes a Spain-centered narrative, even though Latin America uses the month of September to...

Martyrdom won’t put a roof over our heads

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | August 28th, 2019

Real Change columnist

It’s late August, and I’m beginning to think about the inevitable return to graduate school and about my future working in social services. A clunky transition from finals to working full time as an on-call employee left me frazzled and in need of a...

Out of chaos, activism

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | July 24th, 2019

Real Change columnist

We are living in a moment in time that feels surreal. Many of us who have lived with the trauma our immigrant parents and families faced and who have toiled for years to fight against the deportation, incarceration and discrimination, feel some level of...

Imagery matters

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | June 26th, 2019

Real Change columnist

On June 18, the 36th LD Republicans hosted an event at the University of Washington entitled “Homeless & Addicted in Seattle: What’s the End Game?” Purportedly, it was held “to find a solution – together.” But the graphics used for the event’s...

Stale cookies and unsolicited conversations

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | May 22nd, 2019

Real Change columnist

I joined peers from the UW School of Social Work on May 3 to counter-demonstrate an “Affirmative-Action Bake Sale.” We collectively decided to show our presence, not so much to directly engage but to observe and be present for anyone in need of a...

A celebration of worker resistance

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | April 24th, 2019

Real Change columnist

As organizers prepare for this year’s May Day march, the symbolism and timing of the event are not lost on me, because 2019 marks the march’s 20th anniversary. It’s also the 20-year anniversary of the WTO demonstration, which will be commemorated later this...

Reflections on navigating higher education in the wake of the Operation Varsity Blues scandal

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | March 27th, 2019

Real Change columnist

Several days have gone by since the college admission bribery scandal hit the news. In many ways, I long expected the wealthy to utilize their means and privilege to aid their progeny in accessing elite institutions. But I was shocked that they would go so...

Trump’s wall is a petty vanity project

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | January 23rd, 2019

Real Change columnist

It is a new year and, sadly, we collectively encounter many of the same issues that we wish we had left in 2018. Odds are, when these words are printed on paper, a vapid, orange-hued man with nuclear launch codes will still be holding us all hostage. As the...

Diciembre en la mente

by Oscar Rosales Castaneda | December 26th, 2018

Real Change columnist

December often leaves me in a pensive state. Beyond thinking retrospectively about the year, I also reminisce about cultural traits that I wish I had retained. In Mexico for instance, there are the “Posadas” celebrations from December 16-24 in which...