Baking started as a way for DeAnna Ray-Brown to blow off steam after work, but it quickly grew into a passion. When friends and family couldn’t get enough of her cheesecakes, they urged DeAnna to focus her talents into a business. She set up a tent in South Lansing, and people lined up, rain or shine, to get a slice of her famed cheesecake.
In 2017, DeAnna drove to Pittsburgh to buy a food truck. She quit her job and focused on baking full time. This year, she moved Everything Is Cheesecake into a storefront on South Cedar St. Now, it’s become more than just selling desserts — it’s a way for DeAnna to give back and inspire others.
“I love being able to serve the community. I wouldn’t be here without my customers,” DeAnna says. “I’m African American, and I want kids to see what they can accomplish. If you can dream it, you can see it. If you believe it, you can achieve it.”
That very saying is painted as a mural on the wall of her new storefront. DeAnna wants people to feel visually inspired when they visit, and she views her business as a celebration for the entire community and everyone who has supported her journey.
Original source can be found here.
