The Rebel Yellow

Even AI is now discriminating against Asian Americans

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:01:28 GMT

Today’s stories kick off with a Stanford-led study discovering that an AI hiring platform disproportionately screened out Asian applicants, and that standard audits missed it entirely. In electoral politics, San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan advances to a November runoff that could make her the first Asian American to hold the city’s congressional seat, while Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman closes ground in a race that could yield the city’s first South Asian mayor. Finally, a Gallup survey finds U.S. support for same-sex marriage at its lowest in years.

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Image via Pexels

AI hiring tool disproportionately screened out Asian applicants

A hiring algorithm marketed as an objective screening tool disproportionately screened out Asian job applicants, according to a Stanford-led study — and the bias audits designed to catch that kind of disparity failed to flag it. The platform evaluated candidates through behavioral games rather than résumés, but the traits it measured still correlated with race.

The study also found that applicants screened out by one employer using the tool were more likely to be rejected by others using it, which authors called “algorithmic monoculture.”

San Francisco’s Connie Chan moves closer to historic Congress seat

San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan advanced to November’s general election for California’s 11th Congressional District, finishing second in Tuesday’s primary behind state Sen. Scott Wiener. A Chan victory would make her the first Asian American to hold the seat, which has eluded the district despite its large Chinese American population.

Nithya Raman closes gap in LA mayoral race

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman has trimmed her deficit against Spencer Pratt in the battle for a November runoff spot, as late ballots continue to be counted. A Raman victory would make her the city’s first South Asian mayor. Counting continues through at least Tuesday.

Republican support for same-sex marriage drops sharply, Gallup finds

U.S. support for same-sex marriage has fallen to 65%, down from a record 71% in 2022 and 2023, driven by a sharp reversal among Republican voters. GOP support dropped from 55% to 37%, a decline Gallup says contributed significantly to the national slide.

Why read Issue #219?

The stories in this issue share a common thread: the gap between stated fairness and actual outcomes. An AI tool designed to remove bias instead compounded it, and standard audits failed to catch it. Two Asian American candidates are testing whether diverse cities will elect leaders who look like them. And a decade of progress on marriage equality is in retreat. Together, these stories ask how much the systems and metrics meant to protect equal access actually hold up and who bears the cost when they don’t.

Support independent Asian diaspora journalism. Become a paid subscriber to read the full stories and help sustain The Rebel Yellow.

The Rebel Yellow is supported in part by funding from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Funders do not influence story selection, reporting, or editorial decisions. All editorial content is independently produced by The Rebel Yellow team.

Raman closes gap with Pratt in race for LA mayoral runoff spot

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:15:55 GMT

Image via NBCLA, Nithya for Mayor | YouTube

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman, whose election would make her the city’s first South Asian mayor, has trimmed her deficit against Spencer Pratt by thousands of votes since Tuesday’s primary, keeping alive her bid for the second runoff spot in November.

State of play

Mayor Karen Bass finished on top, …

SF’s Connie Chan moves closer to historic election in Congress

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:50:31 GMT

Image via Connie Chan

Supervisor Connie Chan has advanced to November’s general election, potentially making history as San Francisco’s first Asian American in Congress.

Race and result

San Francisco voters on Tuesday sent Chan and state Sen. Scott Wiener to the general election for California’s 11th Congressional District, where they will compete to succe…

Republican support for same-sex marriage plunges as US acceptance stalls: survey

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:08:29 GMT

Photo via Kampus Production (Pexels)

Support for same-sex marriage in the U.S. has fallen from record highs as Republican voters increasingly break from broader public support for marriage equality.

Gallup’s latest survey found that 65% of Americans support legal recognition of same-sex marriages, down from 71% in 2022 and 2023, while Republican support h…

AI hiring tool disproportionately screened out Asian applicants

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:07:53 GMT

Photo via MART PRODUCTION (Pexels)

A hiring algorithm promoted as a way to make hiring more objective disproportionately screened out Asian job applicants, according to a Stanford-led study. Candidates of Asian descent faced the largest cumulative shortfall in recommendations among the racial groups analyzed.

The study examined assessments administered t…

Ronny Chieng tells Harvard grads to ‘destroy AI’

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:50:51 GMT

Today’s stories open at Harvard’s Class Day, where comedian Ronny Chieng told graduates to destroy AI rather than master it. Then, we turn to a South Carolina jury’s acquittal of an Asian American store owner in the killing of a Black teen, the high-achieving Asian American teens slipping past mental health screening and a Texas anchor’s BTS Oreo joke that ARMY refused to let slide. We close with the fascinating reason Karl-Anthony Towns became a Knicks fan as New York chases a title.

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Image via Harvard University

Ronny Chieng says what everyone’s thinking about AI at Harvard

At Harvard’s Class Day, comedian Ronny Chieng pushed against commencement season’s message about working alongside artificial intelligence, telling graduates their mission was to destroy AI rather than master it. The “Daily Show” correspondent drew loud applause.

He also joked about Harvard’s own AI hallucinations, grade inflation and a friend who tried speed-running Buddhism. His broader argument was about what the shortcuts strip from creative work.

What else we’re tracking

South Carolina gas station owner acquitted of murder in 2023 fatal shooting of teen

A South Carolina jury acquitted 61-year-old Rick Chow of murder in the 2023 killing of a 14-year-old Black teen he suspected of stealing water bottles. However, surveillance video told a different story. For many Asian Americans, the verdict brings no relief.

High-achieving Asian American teens are slipping through mental health screening

Many high-achieving Chinese American teens are privately battling anxiety and depression while their grades never slip. Researchers say that success is exactly what makes them invisible to school screening built to catch the struggling.

Texas anchor faces BTS ARMY backlash over ‘death to America’ Oreo joke

A Lubbock, Texas anchor told viewers that BTS’ new Oreo collaboration spells out “death to America,” but it carries no such message. Of course, ARMY mobilized fast, accusing him of pinning a false label on an Asian act and demanding an apology before the cookies reach shelves.

Karl-Anthony Towns credits Jeremy Lin for turning him into a Knicks fan

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns says he owes his fandom to Jeremy Lin, whose 2012 “Linsanity” run hooked him as a New Jersey teenager. As the Knicks chase their first title since 1973, Lin’s return comes with a personal twist.

Why read Issue #218?

Issue #218 refuses to let Asian American identity sit still. These stories pull in every direction at once … like the pressure to perform and stay silent, the reflex to defend the community against bad-faith framing, the reckoning when your own community lands on the wrong side of a verdict and the quiet pride of seeing one of your own shape the culture. Here, we see belonging never settled, and instead negotiated in public by people deciding what to claim and what to confront.

Support independent Asian diaspora journalism. Become a paid subscriber to read the full stories and help sustain The Rebel Yellow.

South Carolina gas station owner acquitted of murder in 2023 fatal shooting of teen

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:01:34 GMT

Image via Law & Crime Trials, News 19 WLTX | YouTube

A South Carolina jury on Monday acquitted an Asian American gas station owner of murder in the 2023 shooting of Cyrus Carmack-Belton, a Black teenager falsely accused of shoplifting from his Columbia convenience store.

Catch up

Rick Chow, now 61, shot Carmack-Belton, 14, outside his Xpress Mart Shell Sta…

Texas anchor faces BTS ARMY backlash over ‘death to America’ Oreo joke

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:31:02 GMT

Image via KCBD News Channell 11 | YouTube, Oreo Asia

BTS fans are pushing back against a Lubbock, Texas news anchor who joked on air that the K-pop group’s upcoming Oreo collaboration spells out a “death to America” message.

What happened

KCBD Fox34 Anchor and Managing Editor James Eppler made the remarks while previewing BTS’ limited-edition Oreos on “Goo…

Karl-Anthony Towns credits Jeremy Lin for turning him into a Knicks fan

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:12:13 GMT

Photo via ESPN (YouTube) and Jeremy Lin (Instagram)

New York Knicks starting center Karl-Anthony Towns says his fandom with his team began with Jeremy Lin. Speaking during NBA Finals media availability last week, Towns recalled how Lin’s legendary “Linsanity” run with New York in 2012 pushed him to follow the franchise closely as a teenager in New Jersey.

High-achieving Asian American teens are slipping through mental health screening

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:01:48 GMT

Photo via cottonbro studio

Many Chinese American teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression are being overlooked by schools and even their own families because they continue earning high grades and meeting expectations in class. Mental health researchers say traditional screening systems often focus on declining academic performance or disruptive b…

Ronny Chieng says what everyone’s thinking about AI at Harvard

The Rebel Yellow — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:01:18 GMT

Photo via Harvard University

Ronny Chieng used Harvard College’s Class Day ceremony this week to openly mock the pro-AI message that has shaped many commencement speeches across the U.S. The comedian and “Daily Show” correspondent drew loud applause Tuesday after repeatedly saying “fuck AI” and telling students their generation’s mission was to “destroy …

We are family, and home is here.

The Rebel Yellow — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:45:57 GMT

Dear Readers,

For many AAPIs, family is everything. It’s where we come from, it’s how and why we operate and it’s where we ultimately return. It’s hard to overstate the central importance of family in most Asian cultures, with the familial unit often even taking precedence over the individual.

This issue of The Rebel Yellow Monthly focuses on issues relat…

Man who bludgeoned 4 to death in NYC Chinatown sentenced

The Rebel Yellow — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:45:55 GMT

Image via ABC7 NY, The Manhattan DA | YouTube

A Manhattan judge sentenced the man convicted of fatally beating four unhoused men with a metal bar in Chinatown to 40 years to life in state prison last Thursday.

Catch up

Randy Santos, 31, was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder in February for the Oct. 5, 2019 attacks, in which he beat Chuen Kok,…

Trump admin walks back green card memo as Asian backlogs loom

The Rebel Yellow — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:35:22 GMT

Image via Pexels

The Trump administration is downplaying a new green card policy memo that immigration advocates warn could push hundreds of thousands of applicants, many of them Asian, to pursue permanent residency from abroad.

Memo prompts walkback

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued the memo May 21 ordering officers to treat in-…

Filipinos are finally getting an NBA champion

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:39:10 GMT

For the first time in NBA history, a player of Filipino descent is guaranteed to win a championship. Jordan Clarkson is already Finals-bound with the Knicks, while Jared McCain and Dylan Harper are fighting for the West’s last spot, making this a long-awaited moment for one of basketball’s most passionate fanbases.

This issue also looks at how Trump’s border politics are hurting U.S. tourism, Andy Kim getting pepper-sprayed outside an ICE detention center and a chemical spill near Little Saigon that forced thousands to evacuate. We also cover new polling on women of color, Trump’s Taiwan comments, BTS’ latest awards sweep and a major South Korean judicial death.

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Images via NBA (YouTube)

This is it, pancit: The NBA Finals just guaranteed a historic win for Filipinos

Filipino basketball fans are finally getting a moment decades in the making. With Jordan Clarkson already in the NBA Finals and Jared McCain or Dylan Harper set to join him from the West, this year’s champion will include a player of Filipino descent for the first time. The milestone arrives nearly 50 years after Raymond Townsend became the league’s first Filipino American player.

What else we’re tracking

Trump’s tougher border image is starting to cost billions in tourism

International visits to the U.S. fell sharply in 2025, costing the economy an estimated $12.5 billion in visitor spending. Analysts pointed to tougher border scrutiny, immigration enforcement and trade tensions as factors pushing travelers elsewhere. The decline raises pressure ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

Steven Cheung accuses podcast hosts of racism over AI joke

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung accused podcast hosts Chuck Todd and Chris Cillizza of racism after they joked he seemed like an AI creation. Race was not mentioned in the clip, but Cheung’s response sparked debate online. The exchange revived questions over who gets to define anti-Asian bias.

Xi reportedly lashed out at Japan during closed-door summit with Trump

Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly confronted Trump over Japan’s growing military role during closed-door talks in Beijing. Xi accused Japan of “remilitarization” and warned against support for Taiwan security. Trump later reaffirmed the U.S. alliance with Japan.

Most Asian, Black and Latina women say government is failing them, new poll finds

Women of color are deeply frustrated with political institutions but still engaged, according to new polling. Nearly seven in 10 respondents said trust in federal institutions declined over the past year. Cost of living remained the clearest concern.

BTS sweeps the AMAs — again

BTS swept all three of their American Music Awards nominations, including Artist of the Year. The night was also historic for Katseye, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami and Twice. Asian and Asian American artists were among the biggest winners of the evening.

Judge who sentenced South Korea’s former First Lady found dead

Judge Shin Jong-oh, who oversaw the appellate case against South Korea’s former first lady, has died in an apparent suicide. A note was reportedly found, though it did not mention his judicial work. The case had drawn intense national attention.

Why read Issue #217?

This issue captures how much public attention can shift between celebration and tension at the same time. A historic moment for Filipino basketball fans arrives alongside debates over immigration, border policy and political trust. Several of these stories also show how quickly reactions can grow larger than the original event itself, whether the subject is tourism, race, foreign policy or public officials.

Support independent Asian diaspora journalism. Become a paid subscriber to read the full stories and help sustain The Rebel Yellow.

Most Asian, Black and Latina women say government is failing them, new poll finds

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:39:19 GMT

Photo via This_is_Engineering (Pixabay)

Black, Latina and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women are losing confidence in government institutions even as they remain deeply engaged in the political process, according to a new Ipsos survey released ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Nearly seven in 10 respondents said their trust in federal in…

Judge who sentenced South Korea’s former First Lady found dead

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:55:55 GMT

Image via Arirang News | YouTube

Judge Shin Jong-oh, who nearly tripled former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee’s prison sentence last month, was found dead in the early hours of May 6, with police suspecting suicide.

What happened

After receiving a report from his family around midnight, police found Shin, 55, unconscious in a flower bed near the Seou…

Xi reportedly lashed out at Japan during closed-door summit with Trump

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:54:08 GMT

Photo via CCTV Video News Agency (YouTube)

Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly confronted U.S. President Donald Trump over Japan’s growing military role during summit talks in Beijing earlier this month.

Xi accused Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government of pursuing “remilitarization” and warned about Japan’s involvement in Taiwan-related security …

Trump’s tougher border image is starting to cost billions in tourism

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:53:41 GMT

Photo via dongfang xiaowu (Pexels)

The U.S. recorded a sharp drop in international tourism in 2025 despite continued growth in global travel demand, according to data from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).

Analysts cited concerns over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement, expanded border scrutiny and trade tensions as factors that…

This is it, pancit: The NBA Finals just guaranteed a historic win for Filipinos

The Rebel Yellow — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:53:18 GMT

Photo via NBA (YouTube)

It’s finally happening for the basketball-crazed fans of the Philippines: an NBA player of Filipino descent is guaranteed to win a championship for the first time in league history. Jordan Clarkson’s New York Knicks have already punched their ticket to the Finals, while Jared McCain’s Oklahoma City Thunder and Dylan Harper’s San …