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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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The LAPD was sued in June for its treatment of journalists during anti-ICE protests.
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Lisa Gladstone has qualified for a federal buyout but may have to wait years to see the money
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The city will get more acreage in the deal and have greater say over the type of housing that gets built around Irvine Spectrum.
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Manuel Cid has served as police chief in Glendale and Culver City.
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Officials say Irvine can use the land in the deal to build more affordable housing than would otherwise be built in the commercial market.
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Police chief says the weapons are needed for de-escalation, but the LAPD has come under scrutiny for its use of force during this summer’s protests.
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What started with 4 homes 22 years ago has now grown to over 160 homes.
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Critics say the current state-approved housing plan will make the city overcrowded.
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With more storms on the way, that could change.
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Critics accused the council of using a nationally polarizing topic for political gain.
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It will be up to Orange County how to spend the proceeds.
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“ I feel like Muslim women are kind of tired of shrinking to fit into places we aren't that's not made for us.”
