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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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Maznavi leaves behind a legacy of creating safe spaces for Muslim women.
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Some takeaways from the files obtained so far and what we know about the delay on other requests.
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The city is tapping a lobbying firm to make the case in D.C. for more help in shoring up a landslide that is slowly destroying entire neighborhoods.
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Sidhu was ordered to return to federal court Sept. 2, when he is expected to begin his sentence.
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In Irvine, legislative power rests in the hands of the seven-member City Council. One of those seats is up for grabs on April 15.
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The City Council also wants businesses to report ICE raid notices to the city.
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The LAPD and LA County Sheriff's Department do not collaborate with ICE but the OC Sheriff's Department does following SB54.
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Karen Bass' order directs multiple city departments to create plans to expedite rebuilding with wildfire resilience in mind.
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The tradition of iftar is thriving in SoCal during Ramadan. Here's what it's like to be at the tableTwo LAist colleagues attend iftar to break the Ramadan fast together with a Palestinian family in Rowland Heights.
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City officials say the findings don’t bode well for the landslide complex when heavier rains inevitably come.
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Claude Parrish, who took office in 2015, was told to cease and desist following a confidential report LAist obtained through a public records request.
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Land movement has taken a heavy toll on the area’s main thoroughfare. The city plans to study the idea of a toll road but hasn't yet made any decisions, and residents will have a chance to weigh in before they do.
