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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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Sidhu was ordered to return to federal court Sept. 2, when he is expected to begin his sentence.
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In Irvine, legislative power rests in the hands of the seven-member City Council. One of those seats is up for grabs on April 15.
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The City Council also wants businesses to report ICE raid notices to the city.
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The LAPD and LA County Sheriff's Department do not collaborate with ICE but the OC Sheriff's Department does following SB54.
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Karen Bass' order directs multiple city departments to create plans to expedite rebuilding with wildfire resilience in mind.
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The tradition of iftar is thriving in SoCal during Ramadan. Here's what it's like to be at the tableTwo LAist colleagues attend iftar to break the Ramadan fast together with a Palestinian family in Rowland Heights.
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City officials say the findings don’t bode well for the landslide complex when heavier rains inevitably come.
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Claude Parrish, who took office in 2015, was told to cease and desist following a confidential report LAist obtained through a public records request.
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Land movement has taken a heavy toll on the area’s main thoroughfare. The city plans to study the idea of a toll road but hasn't yet made any decisions, and residents will have a chance to weigh in before they do.
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The tornado early Thursday lasted 2 minutes and was around 1 mile long and 80 yards wide, officials confirmed.
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As predicted, rainfall rates peaked between late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.
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Suhoor parties, Egyptian TV shows galore, late night Qiyam prayers and Yemeni coffee have become integral parts of the Islamic holy month.
