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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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Attendees discuss topics like childhood trauma, share a potluck meal and engage in dance.
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The light rail project, which had been planned for 2021, could see its first riders early next year.
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The city is poised to spend as much as it does on its entire operating budget to counter the slow-moving disaster.
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Following the release of text messages related to the January fires to other media outlets, LAist requested to review the available public records. The mayor’s office shared some texts, but LAist is still waiting on communications from the days prior to the start of the fire.
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The city needs between 2 million and 5 million cubic yards of sand to restore its thinning shorelines.
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Many of the demonstrations for workers’ rights have also become an indictment of President Donald Trump’s stance on immigration.
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“ I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my family, who suffered through months in refugee camps.”
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For the first time, millennials are now leading the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce: They plan to distance the organization from politics and focus on promoting local business.
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Orange County supervisors are discussing what to say to express harm done to the county and constituents by former Supervisor Andrew Do. He faces federal prison time at an upcoming sentencing.
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FEMA announced the cancellation of a grant that helps communities prepare for natural disasters. Rancho Palos Verdes planned to use its share of the funds to address the Portuguese Bend landslide.
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Crews are beginning emergency stabilization work. Travelers will be bused between Irvine and Oceanside for about six weeks.
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The city has not contracted with the Chamber of Commerce since 2022, when a corruption scandal made headlines.
