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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I report on issues affecting students (prospective and current), their families and communities. Some big questions I am pondering on this beat: who are higher education institutions set up to serve? Who determines who has access to these institutions? How is changing technology affecting higher education? Is access to higher education a ticket to a different trajectory in life?
My background
I didn’t think about university up until I graduated high school. Neither of my grandparents nor parents had completed college. We were residents in the UAE and that residency was dependent on my dad holding down his job. A college degree was a nice to have, not a need to have in my family. And it was only thanks to a combination of luck (Sri Lanka’s civil war ended), grit (I balanced 3 freelance jobs and a paid internship) and sheer determination (I dodged countless marriage proposals) that I graduated with a degree.
And it’s these forces that led me to complete my master’s in race and social justice reporting from USC almost a decade later. (Add a 2-year-old to the mix and grieving the sudden death of my mother.)
I previously covered Orange County for LAist.
My goals
I want to find what works and expose what doesn't, and help students and their families find solutions to their problems.
Best way to reach me
Covering Southern California’s universities and community colleges 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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Some borrowers could see higher monthly payments from new federal rules. Others will have caps on how much they can borrow. And loan forgiveness options are limited.
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For Father’s Day, two sons celebrate the life lessons and wisdom they got from their father, a Mexican immigrant
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Prosecutors accuse Jonathan Rinderknecht of setting the Lachman Fire, which would eventually spark the Palisades Fire.
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Follow along here to track the vote count in the races for Orange County board of supervisors and other offices.
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The number of people experiencing homelessness has dropped 13.5% compared to the previous count in 2024, according to the latest county data.
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If approved, the sales tax increase will bring in $15 million annually.
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Party leaders told Janet Keo Conklin to lawyer up and drop out of the O.C. assessor race. Conklin denies the allegations of misuse of campaign funds and sexual harassment.
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After hearing from protesting residents, the City Council rejected a proposal to add new cell towers.
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A Pasadena Methodist church has welcomed Jews and Muslims who needed spaces to pray. The three congregations see the interfaith cooperation as living their faiths.
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Several claims and a lawsuit could push the price tag even higher as the city reckons with a $16 million budget gap.
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Accelerated land movement has closed off what was once a bustling nature preserve that will never be what it once was.
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The office is responsible for collecting property taxes and acts as the county’s banker, managing and investing funds that return yields used to pay for county services.
