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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I am a geek for city council meetings — meaning I watch those long local government meetings so you don’t have to. And I keep you informed on how decisions in Orange County’s 34 cities affect your electricity bill, how your taxes are funding the next big project, the resources available at your child's school and if there is a corruption scandal brewing within your local government. Orange County’s food scene excites me too. If you ask me about the foods of my childhood, I will tell you about its Levantine shawarma, Korean bulgogi, Yemeni mandi, Sri Lankan kottu, Indian chicken 65, Pakistani biriyani and Malaysian nasi lemak. And guess what, I can find it all in O.C. I hope to help people connect with the different communities that call O.C. home.
My background
I grew up in the Middle East, but I am of Sri Lankan descent and I can count people from 27 different nationalities as friends. I got my start in entertainment reporting but soon realized local news has my heart. My work can be found in the Orange County Register, The Guardian US, L.A. Times, Teen Vogue, NPR and BuzzFeed.
My goals
I want to help people understand how if they want to see systemic change in housing, policing, education or healthcare — it all starts at the local level.
Best way to reach me
Covering 34 cities 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 2-mile-long oil sheen was spotted off the coast on Friday.
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A 2-mile-long oil sheen was spotted off the coast.
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Across SoCal, restaurants specializing in halal food offer large buffets for Muslims who fast during Ramadan. From Indian to Middle Eastern food, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites.
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At least 10 families also remain displaced due to the explosion.
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A look at how many showed up to vote in the March 5 primary, either in person or by mail, and how it compares to previous elections.
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Here's your guide to navigating the street and sidewalk closures for the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday.
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Nearly 10,000 people have checked out the pass from the Los Angeles County Library system alone.
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Thousands of people have been watching a livestream in anticipation of the big event.
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The Sierra Nevada mountains are poised to take the brunt of what’s shaping up to be a major snowstorm.
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It’s Leap Day, not April Fools’ Day, some fans reminded the Dodger star.
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The northbound connector will close for 57 hours starting Friday.
