The Rebel Yellow - Issue #190
Read and share the stories of today, March 16, 2026.
Rebels,
Today’s issue paints a picture of a community navigating two worlds at once. While Asian American filmmakers and athletes are breaking through to historic visibility, a landmark court case exposes how DOGE used ChatGPT to gut millions in humanities grants, including projects tied to Asian American history. This raises urgent questions about AI, accountability and who gets to decide what cause matters.
Featured
DOGE’s ChatGPT-driven grant cuts put Asian American history at risk
Viral deposition videos of two former DOGE staffers reveal that they determined which National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants to terminate by feeding descriptions into ChatGPT and asking only whether each related “at all to DEI.” Among others, one grant was targeted because it “uses historical research and Augmented Reality to showcase a demolished Chinatown, inviting reflection on the Asian American experience.” A federal hearing tomorrow could determine whether the videos, and more broadly, the public’s window into DOGE’s decision-making, will be restored.
What else we’re tracking
New youth mental health hub opens in LA’s Chinatown
A new 6,000-square-foot facility in Los Angeles’ Chinatown is now offering therapy, psychiatric care and medication management to youth ages 6 to 25. This is a critical expansion after the Trump administration slashed $1 billion in federal school mental health grants last year. The center is expected to serve more than 230 young people annually.
Airfares rise worldwide as Iran war disrupts oil supply, global flight routes
The U.S. conflict with Iran is sending jet fuel prices surging from roughly $85 to $90 per barrel to as high as $200 in some markets, as military activity near the Strait of Hormuz forces airlines to reroute flights around the Middle East. A Korean Air flight from Seoul to London jumped from roughly $564 to over $4,300 in a week, and carriers across Asia and the Pacific are adding steep surcharges with no end in sight.
New York threatened with suit over college program that excludes white, Asian students
Two civil rights groups have given New York Gov. Kathy Hochul until March 25 to eliminate race as an eligibility criterion in CSTEP, a state-funded STEM enrichment program, or face a federal lawsuit. The case, however, echoes a broader pattern of right-leaning legal organizations using Asian American plaintiffs in diversity program challenges, a dynamic Rep. Grace Meng previously warned to be turning the community into “pawns.”
Andrew Yang reflects on rising Asian American political visibility
In a recent podcast interview, Andrew Yang recalled a family in New Hampshire telling him they “didn’t know we were allowed to run for president,” a moment that captures both the promise and the persistent gap in Asian American representation at the highest levels of politics. Yang also revisited his universal basic income proposal, arguing that financial security could supercharge civic participation rather than diminish the will to work.
Figure skating star Alysa Liu receives key to the city at Oakland Olympic celebration
Oakland turned out in force Thursday to honor 20-year-old Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, who became the first American woman to win the individual figure skating title since 2002 at the Milan-Cortina Games. Mayor Barbara Lee presented her with the key to the city as Liu, near her home ice rink, said she couldn’t be “more proud to represent Oakland.”
“Golden,” “KPop Demon Hunters” make Oscars history
Animated blockbuster “KPop Demon Hunters” swept two major categories at the 98th Academy Awards, taking best animated feature and best original song, the first Oscar win for a K-pop track and the first best animated feature win for Asian women. Separately, cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, who is of Filipino and Creole descent, made history as the first woman to win best cinematography for “Sinners.”
“KPop Demon Hunters” sequel confirmed as Netflix signs directors to new deal
Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have greenlit a sequel to “KPop Demon Hunters,” now the most-watched movie in Netflix history with 20.5 billion U.S. minutes viewed, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans returning under a new multi-year deal. Kang said there is “so much more to this world we have built,” and given the film’s Oscar sweep this weekend, the momentum couldn’t be stronger.
Park Bom’s drug allegation against Dara Park reopens old wounds for 2NE1, Blackjacks
Park Bom has publicly accused former bandmate Dara Park of drug use in a handwritten letter, claiming she was cast as a “drug addict” to shield Dara from allegations. Dara flatly denied the allegations. With Bom suspending activities for treatment and Dara unfollowing her on Instagram, longtime fans are left grieving what remains of one of K-pop’s most iconic groups.
CAATA launches Godfather Prize to support emerging Asian American playwrights
The Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) has announced the Godfather Prize for Playwriting, an annual $1,000 award with a staged reading and a slot at its national conference for one emerging playwright from Asian American and diaspora communities. Submissions opened March 2 and will close April 3, or once 200 eligible entries are received. And so if you’re a playwright or know one, the deadline is coming fast!
Why read Issue #190?
As you can see, today’s stories share a common thread of who controls the narrative of Asian American life and who gets left out when that power is misused. Whether it’s a chatbot deciding which histories deserve funding, a legal apparatus enlisting Asian Americans as plaintiffs in battles that may not serve them, or filmmakers and athletes finally breaking through to a stage the world can see, these stories ask us to sit with the full complexity of visibility. Now, we see that celebration and erasure can happen at the same time, and both demand our attention.
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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.