mural with holding hands

Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

From his tireless fight for equality to his pursuit of a more compassionate world, Dr. King has empowered communities to find beauty in common ground. In honor of his legacy, we celebrate those who carry forward the torch of his ideals.


His legacy continues to inspire.

One mural. One artist. One community. Watch people come together at one of our stores and give a blank wall beautiful meaning for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. See it in person at 2235 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta, Georgia.

Carrying the torch of Dr. King’s ideals.

Meet individuals who nurture positive change in their own communities through love, compassion, and understanding.

Man standing in front of a white canvas

“You have to be a good guide. A builder of minds, of hearts.”

N. Carlos J.
Visual Artist, Atlanta, Georgia

MLK mural

N. Carlos J.’s mural is reflection on Dr King’s ideals, family, and community. From the artist:

This mural is a composite illustration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and impact. Dr. King’s ideologies have remained strong and have been pushed forward throughout society to help us build better communities and live happier lives. I have broken the mural into a three-part motif illustrating how his teachings have created change and how I have been influenced within my life and my work. 

The first part of the mural shows a father building better generations and leaving lasting legacies by passing love, guidance, and wisdom. Dr. King’s legacy is represented as a soaring bird wearing the symbol of peace around its neck. It looks over the father, the protector and nurturer of his seeds at infancy. He plants ideas to foster growth and watches as his son passes those same lessons and wisdom down to his daughter. These lessons create a higher self-worth for himself and his family, helping them live better lives and contributing to stronger communities. The son opens his daughter’s heart using the keys passed down to him. I used my father, myself, and my youngest daughter for inspiration; my father’s life and legacy were very much aligned with Dr. King’s, as are mine.

The second part of the mural illustrates the building of better generations by passing down love, guidance, and wisdom. The hands of the older generation pour water—or love—onto the seeds of the younger generation to grow their hearts and minds. The child in flight demonstrates their journey to self-discovery and that anything is possible if they receive proper love and guidance.  

The third part of the mural depicts our communities pushing forward to create change as they pass knowledge, love, and wisdom to each other. These actions produce a rising momentum and transformational freedom, helping to create idyllic settings for the community and impart lasting legacies. The flowers represent the love and guidance being passed among community members. The young bird soaring at the end of the mural signifies that sharing love and knowledge can produce generations that fly to new heights.


Cheryl Lowery in front of a white canvas

We are all called to do what’s right, and work for the common good.

Cheryl Lowery

Chery Lowery is the daughter of Drs. Joseph and Evelyn Lowery, remarkable Civil Rights leaders who worked closely with Dr. King and proudly marched alongside him in Selma. Being surrounded by such great role models led to an upbringing immersed in the power of equality and activism.

Today, Cheryl draws inspiration from these transformative experiences as she continues her parents’ mission. Through The Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights, named for Cheryl’s parents, she champions the unwavering pursuit of nonviolent advocacy, empowers the next generation through civic engagement, and provides food to students in need.

Brenda Reid

“I want people to be inspired, to continue striving to do better.”

Brenda Reid

Brenda Reid grew up during the Civil Rights Movement and was introduced early on to what Dr. King believed in. This sparked a powerful sense of confidence, culminating in a career defined by compassion, community service, and caring for others.

For decades, she poured love into her community, focusing on education, kids, and young women—a passion she looks forward to continuing in retirement. Beyond her profound career at Publix, where she was a role model to so many, Brenda is on the board for both the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and Africa’s Children’s Fund.

TJ Austin

“Everyone deserves an opportunity to be successful.”

TJ Austin

TJ Austin is an active and passionate resident of the Grove Park neighborhood, located in the west side of Atlanta. He has dedicated himself to his community, playing an integral role in projects for Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta Food Bank, and affordable housing.

This drive to inspire those around him and nourish the next generation carries over to his career at Publix, where he’s organized and participated in neighborhood cleanups, education outreach, and other Publix Serves community service projects.


At Publix and Publix Super Markets Charities, we believe in the power of a stronger community.

With the generous help of our customers and associates, we’re able to give back and create meaningful change in our focus areas of alleviating hunger, supporting education, and making lives better where we live and work.

Explore our efforts


Visit our homepage to see more stories that celebrate Black history, cultural heritage, and culinary traditions.