TAMPA, Fla. — March marks Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the contributions of women all over the country. 

“It just makes me feel good that we’re recognized because for so long in it’s history we weren’t,” said Darla Portman, President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. 

Darla Portman is the first woman to run the Tampa Police Union. 

“We’re here to show you, we can do the same job as a man.”

But Portman said women also offer a unique perspective to law enforcement.

“Sometimes going onto the scene as a female, you really de-escalate just by acting as a mom or have that feminine touch,” Portman said.

At AdventHealth Carrollwood, nurse Marden Carmentas Dieguez leads with her heart.  

“We protect our family,” Dieguez said. “We protect our kids so that’s what I do all the time with my patients.”

Nurse Dieguez is an immigrant, who recently learned English and got into health care. Now, she devotes much of her time caring for COVID-19 patients. The mother of two hates to see people suffering alone.

“At the end of the day, you go home and you know that you help somebody with your heart and that’s all that matters to me,” Dieguez said.

For Mya Cato, health and wellness is a passion.

It’s also her business.

“I always say in any business, there needs to be at least one woman because we balance things out,” Cato said.

But it wasn’t too long ago, a woman would be required to have a man’s help with a loan to launch a business. Cato opened Meeyogi Wellness Lounge earlier this year, with the help of the Women's Business Center.

“Oh, so necessary, so necessary,” Cato said about the assistance. “We can’t do it alone.”

Throughout history, women have lifted one another up. And they continue to do so. 

“Don’t let anybody tell you, you can’t do it,” Portman said. “Don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not strong enough.”

“Use that energy, that creativity to create something that will change the world for the better and just do it,” Cato said. 

Women’s History Month has been recognized since 1987. It started out as a week-long celebration. The National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress to expand the recognition for the month of March.