First Vietnamese American woman going to space
Amanda Nguyen is set to become the first Vietnamese American woman in space, marking a major milestone in representation.
The Rebel Yellow - Issue 48
Amanda Nguyen is set to become the first Vietnamese American woman in space, marking a major milestone in representation. Meanwhile, a hacker breached NYU’s admissions data, exposing information on standardized test scores and reigniting discussions on affirmative action.
In business, China’s BYD has surpassed Tesla in global revenue, while the U.S. is importing eggs from South Korea to address a supply shortage caused by bird flu.
In entertainment, Kim Soo-hyun faces fallout over controversy, North Korean defectors prepare to debut as K-pop idols, and CJ ENM partners with the Academy Museum to highlight Asian filmmakers.
Amanda Nguyen’s journey from survivor to space trailblazer: "My mother swam so I could fly”
When Amanda Nguyen boards Blue Origin's upcoming rocket launch this spring, she’ll be carrying with her a legacy built on survival, resilience and a relentless pursuit of justice. At 33, she is poised to become the first Vietnamese American woman to travel to space, a milestone that reflects both a childhood dream and a profound connection to her family's past.
"My family charted stars on their journey as refugees,” Nguyen shares with The Rebel Yellow. “They looked to the stars to guide them through to freedom. Growing up, I was always fascinated by space as that heritage inspired me to study the stars at Harvard and NASA. My mother swam so that I could fly."
Navigating justice
Nguyen’s path to the cosmos wasn’t a direct trajectory. Her journey pivoted sharply in 2013 during her senior year at Harvard University when she was raped after a fraternity party. In the months that followed, she faced a legal system that seemed as cold and unforgiving as the vacuum of space. Massachusetts law allowed rape kits to be destroyed after six months, despite the state's 15-year statute of limitations for prosecuting sexual assault.
Rather than accept the system’s failings, Nguyen decided to change it. In 2014, she founded Rise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enshrining the rights of sexual assault survivors. Her advocacy led to the landmark Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights, which President Barack Obama signed into federal law in 2016. The law ensures that survivors have the right to retain their rape kit evidence throughout the statute of limitations and cannot be charged for the cost of evidence collection.
"When I faced injustice with my rape, I had to trade my telescope for a pen to write my civil rights," Nguyen explains. "When I first decided to pursue justice, I asked my mentor, Leland Melvin, for advice. He told me that space would be there if and when I was ready to return. Now, I'm ready."
Her work didn’t stop there. Over the past decade, Rise has helped pass 91 laws across the U.S., and Nguyen now spearheads efforts to establish an international treaty ensuring survivor rights are recognized worldwide. She also details her fight for justice in her new book, "Saving Five: A Memoir Of Hope.".
A dream reclaimed
Through all her advocacy work, Nguyen never lost sight of the sky. "It was always my dream to become an astronaut," she says. But the dream had to be put on hold while she fought for herself and others.
When the opportunity came to join Blue Origin’s all-female crew, Nguyen knew the time had come. "It was surreal, and I was in disbelief for a moment. I had to put this dream on hold for nearly a decade, and when you train to be an astronaut, it’s never guaranteed you’ll have a spot to fly," she recalls. "I am so grateful to have this opportunity to live the dream I’ve dreamt since I was a kid. It feels like I’m honoring the 5-year-old version of me who loved to look at the stars."
The training required both mental and physical fortitude — Nguyen completed a rigorous program including a high G-force test, hyperbaric chamber exercises, water landing simulations and testing an intra-vehicular activity suit. "I have wanted this for so long that I do feel emotionally and mentally prepared," she says. "I’m ready to fly."
Making space for representation
Nguyen’s historic flight comes at a meaningful time — coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Her participation also includes a scientific mission in collaboration with the Vietnam National Space Center.
"We’re working on a plant pathology experiment with Brassica Rapa seeds, which originated in Southeast Asia. These seeds will be flown to space and packaged for research in Vietnam," Nguyen explains. "I believe this symbolizes how we are all united in this universe — space is the ultimate connector of worlds."
She also recognizes the broader implications of being part of the first all-female space crew. "About 90% of astronauts that have flown to space are men. This is the first group of only women to fly to space together," she says. "The last solo mission with a woman in space was with Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. 62 years later, I’m proud to be making history with a group of incredible women."
Nguyen hopes her journey will inspire others, particularly those from underrepresented communities. "I know I will be the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman in space, but I will make sure that I am not the last," she says. "My hope is that my journey empowers women and girls to always, always pursue their dreams — even when faced with impossible circumstances. Your dreams matter and can change the world."
Reaching for the stars
As she prepares for liftoff, Nguyen reflects on the phenomenon astronauts call the "overview effect" — a profound cognitive shift that occurs when viewing Earth from space. "It leads to a greater appreciation of our planet," she says.
But her perspective is already expansive. "We’ll, of course, continue the work we do at Rise, helping everyday people pen their own rights into existence," she adds. "I look forward to embracing the joy of this mission. I want to thrive in it because joy is the most radical form of rebellion."
For those who dream of following in her footsteps, Nguyen’s advice is simple yet powerful: "Never, never, never give up."
Usha Vance’s Greenland trip sparks criticism
Second Lady Usha Vance’s planned cultural trip to Greenland has escalated into a high-stakes diplomatic mission, with Vice President JD Vance now joining her amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump’s territorial ambitions on the island.
State of play
What began as a scheduled visit to Greenland’s national dogsled race has morphed into a strategic security briefing, with the Vances set to visit a U.S. Space Force base on the island’s northwest coast on Friday. The sudden change comes as Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute B. Egede denounced the delegation’s arrival as “highly aggressive,” particularly objecting to National Security Adviser Mike Waltz who was reported to join the trip.
“We are now at a level where this cannot in any way be characterized as a harmless visit from a politician’s wife. What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us, and the message is clear,” Egede told local outlet Sermitsiaq.
Reactions
Vice President JD Vance defended the trip, saying the administration seeks to “reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland.” He claimed that “a lot of other countries” have threatened to use the island’s territories and waterways to threaten the U.S., “so we’re going to check out how things are going there.”
Local politicians, on the other hand, view the visit as a provocative step. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is poised to become Greenland’s next leader, criticized the timing as demonstrating “a lack of respect for the Greenlandic population.” A January poll underscores the national sentiment, revealing that 85% of Greenlanders reject becoming a U.S. territory, with nearly half viewing Trump’s interest as a direct threat.
Despite mounting resistance, President Donald Trump remains resolute. “I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future,” he told reporters on Monday, maintaining that the visit represents “friendliness, not provocation.”
Hacker exposes NYU applicants’ records in bid to highlight Asian student test scores
A hacker seized control of New York University’s website on Saturday, revealing sensitive personal information for over 3 million students in an apparent protest against affirmative action.
What happened
The cyberattack, which was first reported at around 10:30 a.m., saw the university’s homepage replaced with charts purportedly showing the university’s average admitted SATs, ACTs and GPAs for the 2024-25 admissions cycle. They showed that Asian students scored highest in the standardized tests, while white students led in overall GPAs.
Four CSV files containing admissions data of more than 3 million students dating back to 1989 were also posted. The leak revealed application details, demographic data, citizenship status, zip codes and financial aid information.
What the hacker is saying
The hacker appeared to be protesting against affirmative action in universities. “On June 29 2023, racial affirmative action in college admissions was ruled illegal,” a message in the homepage read, alleging that “NYU continued anyway.” An X user claiming responsibility for the attack wrote, “It’s literally just raw data from NYU’s own data warehouse, I just put in some bar graphs.”
The same hacker is allegedly behind the leaking of over 7 million social security numbers from the University of Minnesota’s admissions records in July 2023. That breach also exposed similar demographic and academic information, with two alumni later filing a class-action lawsuit against the university.
What the university is saying
NYU responded swiftly to the security breach. “The university reported the hack to law enforcement, is taking steps to make sure the attackers are out of our systems, and is reviewing the university’s systems to bolster their security,” spokesperson John Beckman told the Washington Square News.
NYU’s recent enrollment data showed significant drops in minority student representation following the Supreme Court’s landmark affirmative action ruling. Black student enrollment reportedly declined from 7% to 4%, while Hispanic student enrollment dropped from 15% to 10%.
Asian Americans were cited as disadvantaged in the cases that led to the Supreme Court’s ruling. Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) recently denounced this claim, saying the community “has sort of been used as a pawn in these lawsuits.”
The U.S. has turned to South Korea for eggs
The U.S. is importing eggs from South Korea and Turkey to address a nationwide shortage caused by a bird flu outbreak that has decimated chicken populations.
Driving the news: The Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed it is bringing in eggs from multiple countries to stabilize the market. South Korea’s Gyerim Farm has already shipped 33,000 eggs to Georgia, marking the first such international delivery. “We are talking in the hundreds of millions of eggs for the short term,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters on Friday. “Not insignificant, but significant enough to help continue to bring the prices down for right now.”
Why this matters: The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu has caused total bird losses nearing 145 million since the outbreak began in 2022, including 13.2 million commercial egg-laying hens in December alone. This devastation drove egg prices to $8 per dozen and pushed the consumer price index up 58.8% year-over-year. The USDA has launched a $1 billion response plan, including $500 million for biosecurity and $100 million for vaccine research. As of mid-March, wholesale egg prices have already dropped by half.
What’s next: With Easter approaching — a time of typically high egg demand — the USDA is working to prevent another price spike. The agency plans to continue international imports until domestic chicken populations recover, which is expected to take several months. More countries are expected to export eggs to the U.S. in the coming weeks.
North Korean defectors to debut in K-pop group
A pair of North Korean defectors are set to make history as members of 1Verse, the first K-pop boy band to include performers who fled Kim Jong-un’s authoritarian state.
About the defectors
Hyuk’s childhood was defined by survival in North Hamgyong province. “To me, the world was just North Korea — nothing beyond that,” he told AFP in a new interview, adding that he had to “steal quite a bit just to survive.” Before becoming a rapper, he worked tirelessly, doing farm work and hauling cement to feed his family.
Seok, who also spoke to AFP, had rare glimpses of South Korean culture. “I remember wanting to imitate those cool expressions and styles,” he shared. Despite K-pop being banned in North Korea, he accessed music through smugglers.
What’s next
Hyuk and Seok’s recruitment by Singing Beetle CEO Michelle Cho marked a turning point. “Many defectors see an insurmountable gap between themselves and K-pop idols,” Hyuk told the BBC last month. “If I succeed, other defectors might be encouraged to have even bigger dreams.” Last year, Kim Hak-sung, another North Korean defector, competed in a South Korean survival show for a shot at debuting as a K-pop idol.
1Verse aims to debut in the U.S. later this year. Aside from North Korea, the act will also include members from the U.S. (Kenny and Nathan) and Japan (Aito).
Arizona mom convicted of killing her 2 kids has sentencing pushed
Tempe mother Yui Inoue will be sentenced in May for the murders of her children, Mia, 9, and Kai, 7, after being convicted on all charges last month. She was originally set to be sentenced on Friday, March 21. Her crimes date back to May 15, 2021, before she flagged down an officer at a Tempe police station near Apache Boulevard and McClintock Drive. Police later went to her apartment, where they discovered her children dead. Prosecutors argued she killed her children out of anger toward her husband during their separation, just before she planned to return to Japan. During her two-week trial, prosecutors presented evidence of a brutal attack, describing how Inoue used a meat cleaver to inflict multiple injuries on her children. Inoue was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse and one count of disorderly conduct.
Chinese EV maker BYD surpasses Tesla with over $100 billion in sales
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has once again overtaken Tesla, reporting a record-breaking annual revenue of 777.1 billion yuan ($107 billion) for 2024. This marks a 29% increase from the previous year, outpacing Tesla’s $97.7 billion. BYD’s aggressive growth is fueled by surging sales of battery electric and hybrid vehicles as it continues to expand both in China and internationally.
From underdog to industry leader
BYD’s meteoric rise began in 2022 when it first surpassed Tesla in unit deliveries. By the third quarter of 2024, it also overtook Tesla in total revenue, solidifying its place as the world’s largest EV manufacturer by volume. The Shenzhen-based company sold approximately 4.3 million vehicles last year — a 40% jump— while Tesla’s deliveries fell slightly to 1.79 million units, a 1.1% decline.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged the growing threat posed by Chinese automakers in a 2023 interview. When asked about Tesla’s competition, Musk admitted that a Chinese company was likely to be Tesla’s closest rival: “We have a lot of respect for the car companies in China. They are the most competitive in the world. They work the hardest and they work the smartest … so, if I were to guess … probably some company out of China is the most likely to be second to Tesla.”
Banking on innovation
With BYD now outpacing Tesla in both sales and revenue, Musk’s prediction appears to be coming true — perhaps faster than he anticipated.
Just last week, BYD unveiled its groundbreaking super-fast EV charging system that claims to deliver 400 kilometers (249 miles) of range with just five minutes of charging. Analysts noted that the “out of this world” technology could significantly change consumer habits. Tesla's Superchargers, particularly the V3 Superchargers, offer fast charging, but can only add up to 75 miles of range in five minutes under optimal conditions.
What’s next for BYD and Tesla
Tesla market share in China — the world’s largest EV market — has notably plummeted from 16% in 2020 to just 4.3% last month. Sales in Europe also dropped by 42.6% in February compared to the previous year, a decline partly attributed to Musk’s controversial political stances and aging product lineup.
Analysts predict that BYD’s momentum will continue, with Deutsche Bank forecasting a 31% year-on-year profit increase for the company in the first quarter of 2025, with quarterly deliveries expected to rise by 60% to 1 million units. Bloomberg consensus estimates that BYD will generate $130.3 billion in revenue for 2025 and $154.2 billion in 2026, while Tesla is projected to earn $110.3 billion and $133.4 billion over the same period.
Apple’s Tim Cook declares his love for Chinese calligraphy amid Beijing business trip
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently shared his admiration for Chinese calligraphy, describing it as a profound cultural tradition that continues to inspire him. “I love Chinese calligraphy,” Cook remarked in an interview with China Daily. “I love the beauty of the calligraphy. I love watching the brushstroke. I think it's one of the most beautiful art forms in the world, and preserving it is very important. This is particularly true in a country with 5,000 years of history. My country is very young. It's 250 years old or so. But China is 5,000 years old. There's so much in the past that can be learned from and used to make our lives better in the present moment."
Cook’s remarks came as he attended the 2025 China Development Forum in Beijing on Sunday — his first trip to China this year. Under Cook’s leadership, China has become both a critical manufacturing hub and a key consumer market for Apple. The company relies heavily on Chinese factories — particularly industry giants like Foxconn — for the production of iPhones, iPads and other devices. Over the years, Cook has cultivated close ties with Chinese officials, frequently visiting the country and participating in major events like the China Development Forum to strengthen these relationships.
Asian celebrities dominate fashion month AW25, drive millions in media value
The Autumn/Winter 2025 fashion season highlighted the growing influence of Asian celebrities in shaping global fashion narratives. Earned media value (EMV), which measures the impact of social media mentions and content in monetary terms, totaled $768 million — down 9% from Spring/Summer 2025 but up 46% from Autumn/Winter 2024. South Korean rapper Mingyu led at Dior’s Paris show, generating $18.5 million in EMV through 11 posts. He is followed closely by Thai actor Kornnaphat "Orm" Sethratanapong with $18.3 million and Thai Chinese actor LingLing Sirilak Kwong with $17.1 million. Japanese pop band &Team also made waves at Prada, contributing $811,400 in EMV.
CJ ENM partnership with Academy Museum begins with Bong Joon Ho exhibition
South Korea’s CJ ENM has entered a three-year partnership with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to elevate Asian filmmakers in mainstream Hollywood, beginning with an exhibition dedicated to “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho. “Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho,” which opened on March 23 in Los Angeles, showcases over 100 original items, including storyboards, concept art and on-set photographs. As CJ ENM celebrates its 30th anniversary, the company aims to support future programs highlighting diverse Asian creators. “Through this partnership, we hope to contribute to the successful global establishment of Asian creators who possess both distinctive artistry and mass appeal,” a CJ ENM spokesperson stated.
Simu Liu’s expanding universe
Before Simu Liu reprises his role in the upcoming “Shang-Chi” sequel, he is taking on new challenges across television, film and venture capital.
Reality TV host: The 35-year-old Chinese-Canadian star is set to host “Got To Get Out,” Hulu’s latest reality competition series where 20 reality TV veterans and newcomers battle for a $1 million prize. Contestants must either cooperate to share the money or attempt a daring escape to claim the jackpot for themselves. The show premieres on April 11.
Heroic lead: Liu also stars in “Last Breath,” a survival thriller about deep-sea divers trapped under the North Sea, alongside Woody Harrelson and Finn Cole. Describing the film as “a story about perseverance, the human spirit and never giving up,” Liu emphasized the intense physical demands of the role, which required extensive dive training. The critically praised film is now available on digital platforms, with a Blu-ray release scheduled for April 29.
VC champion: Liu is making an impact in the business world through his partnership with X&, a venture capital firm that helps celebrities like Kevin Hart and Steve Aoki create tailored investment funds.
Travel show guide: Liu will also appear as one of the hosts in “My Happy Place,” a CNN Original Series premiering April 27, where he revisits Bangkok — a city he describes as “very welcoming.”
Arthur Dong’s films re-released: celebrating LGBTQ+ and Asian American stories
Film distribution company Kino Lorber has released “The Arthur Dong Collection,” a three-disc Blu-ray box set encompassing 10 of the San Francisco-born, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker’s documentaries on LGBTQ+ and Asian American experiences. The collection features works such as the Oscar-nominated “Sewing Woman” (1982), “Forbidden City, USA” (1989), “Hollywood Chinese” (2007) and The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor (2015). It also includes his LGBTQ+ trilogy — “Coming Out Under Fire” (1994), “Licensed to Kill” (1997) and “Family Fundamentals” (2002). A restored version of Dong’s 1970 experimental short “Public,” with a new score by Emmy-winner Mark Adler, is also part of the set. "For Kino Lorber to commit themselves to physical media with my collection is remarkable,” Dong told The Queer Review. “With physical media, you always have it whenever you want to watch it."