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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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Lily Gladstone, Colman Domingo and Jodie Foster make history.
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Officials have also installed razor wire on the walls to address escape attempts.
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If convicted, he could face up to 18 months in prison.
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Rising sea levels can cause the waves to reach farther ashore, causing more erosion.
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Mayor Bass said the major sporting events on the horizon will positively impact local businesses and public transit.
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A volunteer event was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of a landmark speech there by Dr. King 60 years ago.
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Hate speech and gestures can now be reported online.
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Commissioner on the civilian oversight body calls for more details to be released.
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The California Coastal Commission wants you to document them.
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The ethnic enclave received the designation in 2022.
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Strong wind gusts will pick up later this afternoon for portions of Southern California.
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‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Barbie,’ ‘Succession’ and ‘The Bear’ lead the nominations.
