Libertor in Action: Marquitrice Mangham
Access to fresh food is something many of us take for granted. Hopping in the car and driving to any number of local markets is our norm. Not so for many rural populations across the U.S. When Marquitrice Mangham returned to visit her hometown, Webb, Mississippi, after serving in the military and making a home in Atlanta, she didn’t recognize it. The family farm where she grew up was now surrounded by food deserts: no grocery stores, no fresh meat or produce, just fast food places and gas station stores stocked with cheap, processed goods. The people she knew were left having to choose between unhealthy food or skipping meals. It didn’t sit right with her.
With grants from the USDA and the American Heart Association, and leveraging her established nonprofit In Her Shoes, she was able to buy a building in Webb and open Farmacy Marketplace, a grocery store stocked with produce and meat from local farmers—a space where fresh food is local and affordable. When one store wasn’t enough, she invested in Farmacy Mobile, a truck that delivers fruits, vegetables, proteins, and pantry items directly into the surrounding underserved communities. In April 2025, she opened a second Farmacy Marketplace in an adjoining county, providing even more families with fresh, healthy food.
Marquitrice saw what was missing and took action. She’s built a lifeline for hundreds of families, freeing them from a system that limits their choices and harms their health. Marquitrice Mangham is a liberator bringing equity, health, and care to the heart of Mississippi. Read more about Marquitrice and her future plans for Farmacy Marketplace here.
Slipstream
Marquitrice is making hundreds of people's lives better; what an awesome story. Thank you!
Evangel
I love reading about these stories because they show how one person can build their own little empire that positively impacts so many who would otherwise go without. This woman figured out how to do that, and continues to build on her knowledge, skill, and open heart.
Thanks for finding this story and sharing it. I hope others learn that they, too, can build their own empire to benefit others along with themselves.
Well Street
Ms. Mangham is having such a powerful impact in her communities. I hope her vision to expand and team with large food wholesalers is realized.
A headline this week states that the majority of calories consumed by most Americans come from ultra-processed foods. This can't be surprising when there are towns like these in Mississippi, where the nearest fresh vegetable is miles away.