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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 cities like Orange are in the red, while others like Irvine are flush with cash.
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As Wayfarers Chapel Is Disassembled, A Costly Rebuild And Unending Land Movement Loom On The HorizonCrews are knee deep in carefully disassembling and storing pieces of the chapel as the land beneath the structure continues to move at an alarming rate.
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The booms might be heard as far south as Orange County.
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Federal funds are available for businesses, homeowners and renters who had damages.
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Natalie Rubalcava was named in the corruption report detailing corporate influence in Anaheim politics
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The city has not shut off water to customers since March 2020.
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Only 17% of those surveyed supported the move.
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The city of Los Angeles fell eight places and was ranked 88th this year.
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Wildlife officials are now trying to capture and tag the cougar to see if it's a regular visitor, in which case it'd be identified as P-122.
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Owners allege lawsuit against city was too expensive to sustain.
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Once a couple completes the marriage license process, they can choose to take advantage of the free service in Santa Ana.
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The city has 120 days to comply with the ruling and establish a plan that allows developers to build more units in the city.
