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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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A total of 85 homeowners sought to get the federal funds for a buyout, but there's not enough money for everyone and cash could take years to arrive.
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Andrew Do defends his actions in part by saying he didn't vote for the contracts alone — his fellow colleages on the Orange County Board of Supervisors did so, too.
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The life jackets are U.S. Coast Guard-approved and available for free in Irvine. And you don't have to live in the city to get one.
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In recent years, investigations have revealed the grip Anaheim’s tourism industry has on city politics. Now, the city is implementing oversight measures.
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What to do with the property has been a top community issue since the north hangar burned in 2023.
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San Clemente wants to hang on to its beach town status, but coastal erosion over the years has cut off public access in some areas. A sand replenishment project seeks to reverse that.
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The city has been managing the peafowl population for years in response to complaints about noise and property damage.
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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.
