“My sadness is beautiful. It infuses everything I do. It is at the core of my identity and always has been, just as happiness is in some people. I refuse to be told that it's a flaw. I will not mute it with medications for the sake of society. I will hold it close to me and celebrate it rightfully while the rest of the world fails to see it for what it is and it will be their loss.”

American sex worker and freelance writer

Ashly Lorenzana is an American sex worker and freelance writer from Portland, Oregon. She is known for her autobiographical memoir, Sex, Drugs & Being an Escort. Her writing draws on her own life and work, especially the experiences behind that memoir. Based in Portland, she has also written as a freelance writer, with her name associated with direct, personal, autobiographical material.