Honoring the past and inspiring the future. That’s what Black History Month means to Dock Coordinator Luevinia Roberts.

Luevinia recognizes Black history throughout the year but looks forward to celebrating her culture with others in February.

“I love attending the parades in my community and seeing the art and performances that represent who I am and where I come from,” she said.

As Luevinia reflects on this month, she is grateful for progress and opportunities.

“Being from Mississippi, I’ve heard stories about the limitations African Americans faced,” she explained. “I’m thankful for the freedom I have — the freedom to accomplish more than generations before me.”

Luevinia has been with Publix for 21 years and is proud of her career.

“Working at Publix has been great for me,” she said. “Everything I’ve earned since 2003 was accomplished with the help of this company.”

Since Luevinia has a wealth of knowledge and experience, she enjoys mentoring and training new associates at the Publix low velocity/high velocity warehouse in Lakeland, Florida.

“I have a good relationship with my team,” she said. “They look up to me because I constantly encourage them to do their best.”

As Luevinia looks toward the future, she appreciates her journey from growing up in Mississippi to starting her career with Publix in Florida. Now, she’s working on creating an impactful legacy.

“I want to inspire the next generation through my strong work ethic and passion for my job,” she said. “I also hope to empower others to learn about Black history year-round.”

Publix is a family — a big, 255,000-person one — with backgrounds from across the country and around the world. This article is part of a series featuring associates from a variety of backgrounds, age groups and cultures, and we love sharing their successes. We hope our articles help you learn a little more about your fellow associates who make up our Publix family.