Lorena Escalera (Photo – MarcoOrvando.com)
THE GUERRILLA ANGEL REPORT — A passerby saw the flames and banged on doors and everyone in the building got out except Lorena Escalera who was found her bed by firefighters using thermal imaging. She was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
Escalera, who worked as an escort, had two men in her apartment earlier. They have not been found as of this writing however, according to witnesses, the passerby said he saw two men in front of the building arguing when he saw the flame.
Fire marshals are investigating and authorities have deemed the blaze suspicious but have no evidence yet that indicates the blaze was deliberate.
Police say Escalera was a member of House of Xtravaganza — a well-known troupe of trans performers. Other sources say say her stage name was Lorena Xtravaganza.
More: Woman in Group of Transgender Performers Dies in Brooklyn Fire – NYTimes.com.
Lorena Escalera (Photo – MarcoOrvando.com)
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Filed under: Transgender, Transsexual, Trans, apartment fire, brooklyn, Lorena Escalera, Xtravaganza
Let’s make sure NYPD investigates this hate crime zealously and makes a 100% effort to find the perpetrators. When these cowards are found and arrested, we must ensure that the DA’s office charge these cowards with 1st degree murder and prosecute them vigorously to the full extend of the law.
I got bit a couple of weeks back when I posted the first story from a news feed.
Before rushing to judgement make sure she didn’t fall asleep while smoking or something like that.
The “authorities” made the suspicious claim, not I. However, you are quite right, rushing to judgement isn’t cool, especially when something is reported only in a blog lacking other sources or means of collaboration.
I got burned on the transgender woman at parkland story and I got that one from an ABC news feed.
Kelli Bussey sent me message saying don’t run it after I had run it.
The reason I suggested it might have been a smoking accident was that it started in her room according to one report and her room mates who shared the apartment escaped..
These things aren’t that common these days candles have replaced cigarettes with the same consequences when people fall asleep with them burning.
Escort…??? These “reporters” should check their references before character assassinating someone they don’t know and just died tragically.. So she was transgendered then OF COURSE she HAD to be an escort.. r u kidding me…???? check your sources so you can truly know who this LADY yes a LADY.. who she was and how many people in the gay community she touched. SMH… this article is at best pitiful and full of incorrect assumptions. She was a friend, a sister, a daughter and more than that ,a humble human being and amazingly talented. LEXXIE CANNES, Im sure you gotta pay rent girl but you should’ve tried to be more thorough with your investigation because quite honestly.. it is all BS.. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!
With all due respect, she WAS an escort…her ad is still on Craigslist with her phone number and everything.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cas/3004407153.html
with all do RESPECT” who cares what she did for money it doesnt change the WONDERFUL and CAREING person she was. Shes made a positive impact on our gay community that WILL never be forgotten. If this happened to a NON trangendered woman they wouldve solved it faster and non of this nonsense would ever be written it would just be another person burned in a fire. Lorena Escalera was one of the most respected transexuals i ever known in my entire life.HAVE SOME RESPECT.What everyone should be worried about is finding the ones resposible for the fire and not so much on her gender and what she did.
Still in all, she was a very nice person. Funny and full of life. How she made her money is no ones concern because she wasn’t hurting anyone.
The “escort” source was the NY Times. There are people who knew her that are saying this. It doesn’t make her less of a person though. Thanks for commenting.
Having worked in the public relations field for 14 years of my life i can safely proclaim that the press are a bunch of evil demons…
whether she was or was not an escort was her business and her business alone.
It did not need to be brought to light. However since sex and inserting scandalous and possibly untrue tidbits in a story sells newspapers, its quite obvious why they would print that.
Still and all it is wrong, unfair and cruel, seeing as how she is not with us to defend such allegations!
May she be at peace!
They love dragging peoples name in the mud all the time they live and get paid for it sickos
Before talking about her allegedly being an escort perhaps more attention should be also paid to room mates who said there had been some very questionable electrical work done.
We are so used to sisters being murdered and rushing to that conclusion perhaps waiting to see what the investigators have to say might be wise.
Are u serious this article made her sound like dirt ! how dare u !
Thanks for the comments everyone. Readers would not appreciate if I left out facts — they will find it elsewhere and I would not be any kind of worthy journalist if I slanted my reporting.
Unfortunately in this very blog I’ve reported on a number of trans death – many related to the fact they were escorts. Indeed, many trans people have no other options than to work in the sex trade. It is understood — no judgment here. However, we need to report on it so other trans people are aware of the danger they face should they consider becoming an escort AND to make society aware of this so we can make things less marginalized for trans sex workers.
I sure hope Lorena’s death has nothing to do with her escort business and by all accounts, she was a wonderful and lovely woman.
Thank “anonymous” for bringing even MOREcome ignorance to the convo by posting a dead woman’s add on here like really? Not even a week after nd we shine this negative light on a lost soul.. You must have been raised in the streets.
****** Rest in peace beautiful soul *****
In Los Angeles, through my investigative work for a number of articles and documentary films, I have come to know and become good friends with a wide variety of sex workers (strippers, porn performers and escorts). And I DO mean friend, not a client, not a john, but a FRIEND, some whom I consider family just as much as my siblings and my children.
Many genetic female sex workers are single parents trying to afford a decent quality of life for their kids whose fathers are absent or non-supportive.
As to trans-people, 70% percent of them have been sex workers at some point in their lives. This is because of the discrimination that trans-people endure in this country and throughout the world. Yes, some discrimination is imagined (often due to the Pavlovian effects of horrendous childhoods filled with abuse and little love, understanding or support) but most of it is very, very real.
I have yet to meet even one sex worker who truly want to earn their living this way. It is not a choice any of them would make had they not felt that circumstances left little alternative. Still, for most, this is a temporary situation in their life and they are able to move on to occupations that bear society’s stamp of approval. But even if they do not, HOW DARE ANYONE judge them or try to diminish their humanity and deny them the same rights and protections under the law that is taken as a matter of course by the rest of us.
With that said, let me state unequivocally, that these people, as individuals and as a group, are far more decent, ethical, and caring than the ignorant, pious and self-righteous hypocrites that would judge them.
Here’s a take on the NY Times article: http://feministing.com/2012/05/14/take-action-anti-trans-victim-blaming-in-the-new-york-times/
Why are you guys bashing her name!? Instead of writing about all the wonderful things she was known for and how many people admired her you are talking about a life that has been lost. Poor angel I hope your finally resting . The trans community needs more support. We’re clearly on our own. I know knew you Lorena but you touched many lives including mine.
Just reporting the facts. No one is bashing Lorena.
Thanks for commenting.
[...] Brooklyn Trans Woman Dies in Suspicious Apartment Fire: Well-known NYC performer Lorena Escalera was the only person who failed to escape a burning [...]
[...] Brooklyn Trans Woman Dies in Suspicious Apartment Fire: Well-known NYC performer Lorena Escalera was the only person who failed to escape a burning [...]