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Mary Athalie Range saw the needs of people and found ways to meet them.
Appointed to the City Commission, Range looked for ways to improve life, especially for Black residents. Noticing the disparity in garbage service for Black neighborhoods, she attempted change through typical channels. When that didn’t work, she got creative.
When the Commission delayed her attempts to equalize garbage services, she had neighbors bring bags of garbage and dump them on Commissioners’ desks. The extreme tactic worked and the ordinance was passed.
A dedicated activist and politician, Range was the first woman to head a Florida state agency.
– Rebecca Hastings, The 100 Companies