Holi celebrations paint the U.S. in color
Holi is drawing massive crowds across the U.S. this week. From Manhattan to the Bay Area, thousands gathered in white clothes to share colored powders and music.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue #187
Today’s issue covers a period where cultural pride is meeting some harsh political realities.
While Holi festivals continue to draw thousands from D.C. to Seattle, the celebration of spring comes at a time of high friction. We are looking at a new 2025 State of Chinese Americans survey that shows 27% of Americans still view people of Chinese descent with suspicion. It is a data point that confirms the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype is far from a thing of the past.
We also have a heavy update on the cost of the conflict with Iran. The Department of War has identified Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, a 54-year-old Sacramento native and Filipino American veteran, as one of the six soldiers killed in a March 1 drone strike.
From a massive legal win for Chinatown seniors in Los Angeles to Shohei Ohtani’s 13-0 blowout in the World Baseball Classic, this issue tracks the stories of a community holding its ground in the courts, on the field and in the archives.
Holi celebrations paint the U.S. in color
Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, is celebrated across the U.S. this month in a burst of powder, music and community.
Colors all over: Cities from California to New York mark the holiday with major public events. At Manhattan’s South Street Seaport, hundreds turned out for the festivities on Saturday afternoon. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Indian American, marked the holiday on social media, writing, “Growing up, Holi was more than just a celebration of spring — it was an embrace of joy in all its colors and a chance to revel with family.” In Washington, D.C., the Embassy of India co-hosted a free festival at Dupont Circle Park, offering a dance performance, masala chai and traditional sweets.
Meanwhile, thousands turned out at Bay Area parks in San Jose and Dublin, where participants danced and showered each other with color. Houston, Michigan, Los Angeles and Seattle rounded out the national slate, with Seattle running a series of color festivals through late March.
About Holi: Holi is a Hindu festival observed across South Asia and by diaspora communities around the world, celebrating the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. This year, it fell on March 3 to 4, coinciding with a total lunar eclipse. Celebrations traditionally begin on the eve of the festival with a communal bonfire. The following day, participants dress in white and shower one another with gulal, the colored powders and water that define the holiday.
The Hindu American Foundation notes, “As vibrant powders are shared, social boundaries fade, representing unity, equality, and the belief that everyone is the same beneath the color. The celebration becomes a reminder of connection, forgiveness and fresh beginnings.”
Why this matters: The scale of this year’s celebrations reflects how deeply South Asian culture has taken root in the U.S. Many events were co-organized with local governments and civic institutions, from Redmond City Hall in Washington to the Embassy of India in D.C. Beyond institutional support, Holi serves as a way for diaspora families to pass on their heritage.
Filipino American soldier killed in Iran War honored in California
A Filipino American soldier was killed in a drone attack in Kuwait, as the Trump administration’s conflict with Iran exposes more U.S. troops across the region to attack.
The Department of War identified the soldier as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, a 54-year-old Sacramento resident who was one of six Army Reserve service members killed in the March 1 strike at a command center in Port Shuaiba. Marzan was assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa.
Marzan’s life and service
Marzan was a Sacramento native, an Elk Grove High School graduate and a military veteran with more than 30 years of service. Family members had been preparing to celebrate his 55th birthday and retirement from military service when he returned home from Kuwait. He is survived by his wife, Tina, and their 30-year-old daughter, Felicia.
Relatives remembered him in public tributes as a devoted family man nearing the end of his military career. In a Facebook tribute, his sister Elizabeth Marzan wrote, “My baby brother, you are loved,” and added that he was “a strong leader who lived by example. Very loyal. My hero.”
Honors in California, Delaware
California officials formally honored Marzan on March 4, when Gov. Gavin Newsom and Acting Gov. Eleni Kounalakis said the state was mourning his death and that he is survived by his wife and family. “California mourns the loss of Chief Warrant Officer Three Marzan, a courageous Californian whose service to our nation was marked by honor and distinction,” the statement said.
Marzan was also honored along with the five other soldiers killed in the strike during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on March 7. The other reservists were identified as Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa, Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa. All six were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, which supports operations by moving food, fuel, water, ammunition, transport equipment and supplies.
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