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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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With hundreds of claims still pending and the county on the hook for payouts, here’s what we know about the burden facing Orange County taxpayers.
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California law that sets guardrails on use of force at protests relies on the police to police themselves.
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Peter Pham, the founder and president of the Viet America Society, claims Do took advantage of their friendship to set him up in the scandal.
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The Korean grocery chain's biggest location stateside in Westminster is now open.
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City leaders approved military equipment policy that allows the Police Department to buy military equipment, including drones.
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A Santa Ana police commander told the public the drones will not be used for surveillance.
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The U.S. attorney handling the case called Do a "Robin Hood in reverse" for stealing money from the poor to enrich himself.
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Police chief attributed the noncompliance to “an administrative oversight.”
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Beyond the restitution payment, Do has been ordered to turn himself in to serve a five-year federal prison term by the end of this week.
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Federal prosecutors have dubbed the former Orange County leader a "Robin Hood in reverse" for his misdeeds. So how much will he have to pay back?
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Some Rancho Palos Verdes residents worry the ban could affect their property values.
