Last year, as part of Pittsburgh Pride, the first ball on the Bridge took place on the Andy Warhol Bridge. It was a night celebrating the underground ballroom culture, and Dena Stanley was among the leaders helping to make that event happen. A self-proclaimed “pioneer of the ballroom scene in Pittsburgh,” Stanley carried with her many years as a community leader of ballroom in Atlanta and was ready to bring that wisdom back when she returned to Pittsburgh a year and a half ago.
One of the main reasons she returned to Pittsburgh was to serve as a role model for the trans community, particularly people of color, and joining the board of directors for the Delta Foundation is giving her an opportunity to do just that. It’s a role that has excited and humbled her as she provides a critical source of support for those in the trans community and a source of education for those outside of it. “Being able to plan the largest trans rally in Pittsburgh last February and then to tell my story in front of more than 700 people was an unbelievable experience for me.”
Stanley’s business—Maddezsweetz (read: Mad Dee’s Sweets)—is a growing bakery that she started about three years ago in Atlanta where “the majority of trans women are business owners.” She had been working for several businesses as a pastry chef, including the highly successful Highland Bakery started by Stacey Eames. Stanley said, “Stacey has made an amazing name for herself in Atlanta. I really look up to her; she’s phenomenal.” Eames inspired a core value for Maddezsweetz: Many of the menu items are gluten free, vegan, diabetes-friendly or otherwise suitable for food sensitivities. Eames has Celiac disease, so she encouraged Stanley to experiment with gluten-free recipes. “People don’t really like to get into gluten-free baking because it’s so tedious,” Stanley said. But as apescatarian herself, Stanley understands the need to accommodate a variety of diets.
These accommodations, however, don’t mean she isn’t making delicious desserts. One of Maddezsweetz best sellers is the soul food cupcake: A cornbread muffin stuffed with baked macaroni and cheese, coated in a maple glaze, covered in sweet potato frosting and topped with fried chicken. “I’m a fat girl, honey,” Stanley joked. “And that cupcake has quickly become one of my signature products.” She experiments with ideas and tests them on friends and family. “When a person falls to their knees, you know you’ve got you one.” Next up, she wants to expand on the soul food line with cupcakes inspired by Thanksgiving (think cornbread stuffing muffin with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, topped with turkey or ham) and breakfast (maple cupcake filled with eggs and cheese and topped with a waffle and candied bacon).
These accommodations, however, don’t mean she isn’t making delicious desserts. One of Maddezsweetz best sellers is the soul food cupcake: A cornbread muffin stuffed with baked macaroni and cheese, coated in a maple glaze, covered in sweet potato frosting and topped with fried chicken. “I’m a fat girl, honey,” Stanley joked. “And that cupcake has quickly become one of my signature products.” She experiments with ideas and tests them on friends and family. “When a person falls to their knees, you know you’ve got you one.” Next up, she wants to expand on the soul food line with cupcakes inspired by Thanksgiving (think cornbread stuffing muffin with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, topped with turkey or ham) and breakfast (maple cupcake filled with eggs and cheese and topped with a waffle and candied bacon).
Her cupcakes are quickly becoming a Pittsburgh phenomenon. In March, Stanley sold them at the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show and she was recently recognized by The Incline as one of the 16 people elevating Pittsburgh’s dining scene.
Stanley is bringing her amazing and creative cupcakes to Pride this year, where she will be selling them at PrideFest. She’ll also be providing information and merchandise for Trans YOUniting, her organization focused on motivating gender minorities to be engaged in political action. Through Trans YOUniting, Stanley provides resources to the trans people of color community in Pittsburgh, whether building leadership skills or developing etiquette for job interviews. “Just helping my sisters whenever and however they need it,” she said.
The simple need for support is something Stanley is intimately familiar with. While Highland Bakery was an eager employer for the LGBT community in Atlanta, another bakery Stanley had worked for while transitioning subjected her to “a hostile work environment.” They treated her poorly, refused to recognize her correct pronouns, and eventually fired her. She sued and settled out of court.
During this difficult time, Stanley was able to build significant support from within Atlanta’s ballroom community. Ball culture, the house system, and the ballroom community are terms used to describe the underground LGBT subculture in the United States in which people “walk” or compete for trophies and prizes.
“The idea for Ball on the Bridge was to help bridge the gap between so many communities…from black and white to gay and straight,” said Stanley. The community is a haven for the Latinx and African American communities, especially those struggling to get by. “Sometimes they would be off the streets just for that one night so we made sure we had local resource organizations on hand to provide information to folks.”
The Delta Foundation worked with County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to secure the Andy Warhol Bridge for the event. “It made perfect sense considering he was an icon in the LGBT community.”
Stanley was first introduced to ballroom in Cleveland as a teenager, watching vogue competitions. In Pittsburgh, she serves as the mother for the House of Mizrahi, a well-known ballroom community represented across the globe. Other active houses in Pittsburgh include Balenciaga, Ebony, Elite, and Revlon.
Last year’s event was so successful that Stanley, along with other leaders in the ballroom community, are coming together once again for the second Ball on the Bridge to “showcase talent from the ballroom scene,” she said. The theme for the ball is Candy Crush and participants will walk runway, drag realness, vogue performance and other categories.
When Stanley competes, she walks femme queen realness and competes in face—“where you’re judged on your face.” She still finds herself in awe that she has had the opportunity to build the ballroom scene in Pittsburgh. “It’s amazing for that to happen here in this city,” she said. “I did the balls in my living room at my house. And now it’s out and open and in downtown Pittsburgh. It’s amazing.”
We think you’re pretty amazing too, Dena!
Ball on the Bridge will take place on Saturday, June 3 on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard, between the Rachel Carson and Andy Warhol bridges. Visit the Maddezsweetz booth at PrideFest on Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11. Like the TransYOUniting page on Facebook