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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I am a geek for city council meetings — meaning I watch those long local government meetings so you don’t have to. And I keep you informed on how decisions in Orange County’s 34 cities affect your electricity bill, how your taxes are funding the next big project, the resources available at your child's school and if there is a corruption scandal brewing within your local government. Orange County’s food scene excites me too. If you ask me about the foods of my childhood, I will tell you about its Levantine shawarma, Korean bulgogi, Yemeni mandi, Sri Lankan kottu, Indian chicken 65, Pakistani biriyani and Malaysian nasi lemak. And guess what, I can find it all in O.C. I hope to help people connect with the different communities that call O.C. home.
My background
I grew up in the Middle East, but I am of Sri Lankan descent and I can count people from 27 different nationalities as friends. I got my start in entertainment reporting but soon realized local news has my heart. My work can be found in the Orange County Register, The Guardian US, L.A. Times, Teen Vogue, NPR and BuzzFeed.
My goals
I want to help people understand how if they want to see systemic change in housing, policing, education or healthcare — it all starts at the local level.
Best way to reach me
Covering 34 cities can be a lot, so I need your help in being my eyes and ears on the ground. If you have a tip, you can email me at yfarzan@laist.com or on Signal at username: @ yusramf.25
Stories by Yusra Farzan
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Critics accused the council of using a nationally polarizing topic for political gain.
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It will be up to Orange County how to spend the proceeds.
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“ I feel like Muslim women are kind of tired of shrinking to fit into places we aren't that's not made for us.”
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Masuma Khan, 64, was detained at her annual immigration check in for her naturalization case.
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Despite the slowdown, the city is planning to spend millions on repairing infrastructure.
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Thousands of Angelenos were in Elysian Park to celebrate the Dodgers' back-to-back World Series win.
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LAist reporter Yusra Farzan is of Sri Lankan descent and loves a pineapple chutney with her rice and curry.
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The City Council on Tuesday instead decided to look for alternatives to generating more revenue.
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In a wrongful termination claim, Kari Bouffard alleged the city’s top financial official enabled fraud, wasted millions of tax dollars and lied to the City Council.
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If the City Council approves the funds, it would join other Orange County cities like Santa Ana, Anaheim and Costa Mesa.
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It’s part of what the hospital says is a 'healthcare without harm' model.
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A Bengali immigrant who was displaced by the Eaton Fire now could be deported after falling victim to a green card scam years ago.
