International Women's Day is a day that recognizes and upholds the achievements of women around the world, as well as promotes gender equality.

Finally, professional women’s soccer is back this weekend.

Jeanette Abraham is in a league of her own as one of the only Black female automotive suppliers in the auto industry.

March marks Women’s History Month, and the world has spent the past few weeks highlighting and remembering some of the most famous achievements by women throughout the course of history.

To celebrate International Women's Day, let's take a look through the stories of some of the most impactful women in Michigan history.

Two Michigan women created a vaccine that saved countless lives.

Jacqueline Cochran was a record-breaking aviatrix, entrepreneur and political mover and shaker who was close enough with President Lindon B. Johnson he refused to let her call him Mr. President.

With demands at an all-time high, it’s a bigger mental load that is taking a toll. “Women are often told to do it all and be it all and I, as a therapist, am here to say you don’t have to do it all. “What we call the mental load is the invisible responsibility that women often have for making sure that life gets done. Are there any days off coming up?’ So all of the mental load is the invisible pressure on women, as well as the physical, and many times that’s heavier than the physical burden,” she said. AdResearch from Michigan State University shows nearly 68% of women say they’re stressed out right now because of the mental load they’re carrying as opposed to 58% of men who were surveyed.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ann Arbor has some really inspiring women. She is very involved in her local community with many local charities. Marsha was my supervisor as a referee at Ann Arbor Rec Ed. AdMarsha Mumm has inspired students, players, youth, and families of all kinds through her leadership within Ann Arbor Rec Ed for 40 years, her 32 years of teaching at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor, and her countless associations with recreational/athletic/wellbeing initiatives in the A2 area. She is awesome, a true community collaborative leader.” - Susan S.AdWant to see another list of amazing Ann Arbor women?

DETROIT – In Black churches across the country, first ladies play a pivotal role in their communities. The role of first ladies in Black churches has evolved. You absolutely will find that you have to have ministry for women,” Ellis said. I’m trying to be authentically me, lady,” Vann said. We’ve been able to do programs, young ladies of distinction, making sure that our young ladies are equipped for -- To handle all aspects of their lives,” Ellis said.

Despite already having 17 years on the force, Lt. Col. Amy Dehner said she feels like she is just getting started with the Michigan State Police. “Not only to mentor young women in the department, but the young men as well. AdFor Women’s History Month, Lt. Col. Dehner was asked to write something for Women’s History Month, and decided to write a letter to her younger self. Letter by Lt. Col. DehnerThere are many reasons she loves her job, one of them includes her many opportunities with the department. Letter by Lt. Col. DehnerLt. Krebs said seeing women in high-ranking positions like Lt. Col. Dehner is inspirational.

LIVONIA, Mich. – For years Van Nguyen would drive up and down Haggerty Road and see Schoolcraft College and not think twice about it. “As a first generation Vietnamese American, as well as a first generation college student on both sides of my family. Gaps that Nguyen is working to eliminate with her role as the chief marketing and communications officer at Schoolcraft College. She hopes to use her role as an inspiration to students, specifically women of color, that Schoolcraft College can be a great way to make their dreams come true. “To see other first generation students walk through our door here at school.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Dynamic Computer Corporation CEO Farida Ali started her tech career while working for her father. Even back then he never really thought of it any differently.”READ: Coupon book aims to help boost women-owned businesses in DetroitFida H Bohra immigrated to the U.S. from India in the late 60s with just $10 in his pocket. They had just started selling Apple computers and my dad believed everyone was going to have a computer on their desk -- and he was right,” she said. Bob Werner worked for a global life sciences company and as a customer, he knew Ali before she was CEO. Women can be tough and competitive and smart.

DETROIT – Dr. Celeste Williams is the head of Michigan’s largest cardiac transplantation program. Williams is the first person a heart failure patient would see before being placed on the transplant list. Williams is a nationally-known cardiologist from Henry Ford Hospital. She’s a leading authority on advanced heart failure and transplants. Williams is tasked with leading the cardiac transplantation program, the largest in the state of Michigan.

The FDA advisory committee that recommended the Pfizer vaccine largely agreed it was safe and effective. One of those No votes came from Dr. A. Oveta Fuller, a virologist and viral pathogen researcher at the University of Michigan. Ad“I was aware that there were not that many people of color, not very many African Americans and I remember thinking surely this is so fascinating. And so, with some help of others we founded a chapter of the National Technical Association, which is a stem across the organization of African Americans. This brings us back to her yes vote for the emergency use authorization for the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines and the no vote to Pfizer.

DETROIT – You may know the name Mother Waddles because you’ve heard of the charitable car donation program. But, Mother Waddles is not just a name. The Reverend Charleszetta Waddles devoted her life to providing food, hope and dignity to thousands of the city’s poorest citizens. Now her grandson is on a mission to have the city of Detroit bestow long overdue honor for her years of work. Click here to visit the Mother Waddles website.

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – Linda Schlesinger-Wagner is sharing her story and hopes to help empower all women. I learned a big lesson that I think a lot of women have to learn. Ask for help,” Schlesinger-Wagner said. Schlesinger-Wagner did ask for help. READ: Meet the Detroit women business owners staring in new Mastercard commercialShe has advice for other women.

Melissa Butler owns The Lip Bar, a makeup company in Detroit. So she started The Lip Bar. It’s a vegan, easy to use cosmetic company that challenges the way people think about beauty. It didn’t take long for The Lip Bar to gain national attention. AdClick here to learn more about The Lip Bar.

DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons are celebrating Women’s History Month by hosting a web series designed to inspire young girls to dream big. The second annual Girls Dream Big speaker series went virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers said that going virtual has had a positive impact. READ: More Women’s History Month coverageHow to register for Girls Dream Big speaker seriesThe three-part, webinar-based series will highlight female leaders in sports, media, leadership and entertainment. Click here to learn more about the Girls Dream Big Series and RSVP/Register for the event. Girls Dream Big Speaker Series, Women in Media and Entertainment (Panel #2)When: March 18Featured Small Business: Cooking with QuePanelists: Brittni Brown- Founder and Publicist, The Bee Agency Daniella Mason- Recording Artist Molly Qerim Rose- Reporter, ESPN First Take Deborah Joy Winans- Singer/ActorGirls Dream Big Speaker Series, Inspiring Leaders (Panel #3)Ad

DETROIT – A Mastercard commercial is airing that features Black women business owners from Detroit. The commercial features Pashon Murray, who owns Detroit Dirt, Deirdre Roberson with Eumelanin, Erika Boyd with Detroit Vegan Soul, and Rashida “The Glam Doctor” LaShawn. The women didn’t know that the commercial would also feature J-Hud or the other ladies. Detroit Vegan Soul is a restaurant offering vegan takes on soul food. AdREAD: More Women’s History Month coverageWatch the commercial below:More information on each business is available below:

While men’s weightlifting has always been an Olympic sport, women were unable to compete until the 2000 Sydney games. In Tokyo this summer, a Metro Detroit woman is setting her sights on the weightlifting medal podium. But when she found weightlifting as a 16-year-old girl she found her true passion and now she’s on her way to Tokyo. But that’s life, right?” Nye said. Nye said that it was her positivity that helped her get through last year, even though the COVID pandemic postponed her Olympic dream.

Girl Scout troop leaders have spent decades encouraging young girls to explore their potential. In 2017, the Girl Scouts introduced 70 new STEM badges and over the past year, 127 girls across all age levels earned some of those badges. “I think Girl Scouts are so much more than cookies and crafts,” troop leader Jeni Prahler said. Prahler said that Girl Scouts has evolved immensely since she was a kid. I know when I was a Girl Scout my mom was a leader and she didn’t camp,” Prahler said.

Nancy Susick was the first in her family to graduate from college. But that’s just a small note in her long, inspirational story that leads to this moment amid the COVID pandemic at Beaumont Hospital-Royal Oak. Watch the full story above. View: Nancy Susick, RN, profile from BeaumontCORONAVIRUS RESOURCES

DETROIT – The founder of a Detroit company has come up with a simple and affordable way to bring more attention to businesses that are run by women. People pay $35 for a book with coupons for more than 35 Detroit small businesses that are all owned by women. She came up with the idea to sell the coupon books to support these businesses. READ: Detroit company Rebel Nell working to empower women through jewelry“What it is is making so many people aware of the amount of talented, incredible women-owned businesses here in Detroit and how can we support and uplift them,” she said. She and so many other female-owned businesses in Detroit had to prove they’re as tough as the city they work in.

DETROIT – Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy achieved several milestones when she took the position in 2004. “I took the bench in January of 1995, and then returned to the prosecutor’s office nine years after that as the elected prosecutor,” Worthy said. Worthy has been working in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for decades, but when she took office in the early 2000′s, she became the first Black woman in the position. We convicted on-duty white police officers for beating to death a Black man, and juries convicted them of murder. It was the first case in the United States where that had happened where on-duty police officers were convicted of murder.

ANN ARBOR – The Michigan Theater has partnered with Toyota to add a Diversity Film Series kicking off this month in its Virtual Movie Palace. In celebration of Women’s History Month, the series will start with four films centered around women’s stories during the month of March. AdBelow are the four feature films in the series, with synopses by the Michigan Theater. The film opens virtually on March 12. AdThe film opens virtually on March 26.

While the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is known for celebrating excellence in music history, it’s not know for celebrating musicians of a certain category: Women.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It’s Women’s History Month! To celebrate, A4 wants to honor the women that make A2 great, but we need your help. Tell us which woman (or women) in Tree Town you want to hear about. Nominees can be current or historical but they must live (or have lived) in Ann Arbor OR had an impact on the area. Let us know below!

DETROIT – For Women’s History Month, meet a woman who like many of us had no idea how difficult 2020 would be. “I said, ‘Thank you for the responsibility that I have.’”It’s safe to say Grant is winning. The self-described serial entrepreneur is the owner of a number of Metro Detroit based businesses including one she’s most proud of, 2050 Partners Inc.“2050 Partners Incorporated is an integrated marketing agency. This Women’s History Month is important to Grant because she shares her story of triumph through tragedy in hopes that it inspires other women. “I want my place in women’s history to be a serial entrepreneur and mother who seized opportunities and created and built opportunities for other people.”Grant calls herself not just a serial entrepreneur, but an overall “master of making it happen.”More: Women’s History Month stories

DETROIT – Four women shared the challenges they’ve faced and their worries for other women amid the COVID pandemic as we mark International Women’s Day. Local 4 brought four women together to speak about the impact of the pandemic, the challenges they faced and the determination they had to fix the problems COVID-19 magnified. She has been fighting to keep her business alive during the pandemic and throughout that fight, she has focused on feeding others. Ad“All of a sudden it went from a lake of need to an ocean of need all around us,” Shand said. You know, as far as child care, family leave, the pandemic shined a light -- and you know, exposed those cracks,” Shand said.

The title of the most-decorated athlete ever belongs to United States swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 28 medals competing in five different Summer Olympics from 2000 to 2016. But there are so many highly decorated female Olympians, too.

Flint’s Claressa Shields is a boxing champion who has been making history for years. Shields was 17 years old when she became the first American woman to win gold in boxing in the 2012 Olympics. In just her second professional fight in 2017 Shields headlined the first women’s boxing main event on premium cable. Unified middleweight champ in her 6th fight and unified super welterweight world champion in her 10th fight. Before she gets in the cage, she’ll step back into the ring in Flint as part of a boxing celebration on International Women’s Day.

Sandra Day O’Connor not only had a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world -- Stanford University in California -- but also a law degree she earned from the same institution in just two years.

Kimmie Horne is a Detroit jazz singer now known around the world. We caught up with her for Women’s History Month -- watch the interview above. AdThe Kimmie Horne Jazz Festival is now gearing up for its fifth year. More information: Kimmie Horne Jazz FestivalHorne will also be performing at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe on March 31st through April 3rd with a special Women’s History Month show. More: Women’s History Month stories

Austin Channing Brown is being called one of the most important voices in America. Brown is a best-selling author who is educating and inspiring many people about racial justice. Her book is called “I’m Still Here.” The book has been a catalyst for many conversations. They want to get the language right, make sure they don’t say the wrong things, have their Black Lives Matter bumper sticker,” Brown said. “One of the first questions I get, ‘If I care about racial justice -- What should I do?’ And you’re already doing it.

She is a local children’s book author, former teacher, public speaker, she started her own publishing company, and now she is even hosting a classroom of her own online. At the time she was a teacher and realized there were not many books for kids that had characters that looked like them. The book teaches kids to have the courage to be themselves. AdAs an author, publisher, and former teacher she was invited into a lot of classrooms to be a public speaker. Like many, she did the pandemic pivot and decided to bring her lessons to their homes with Sunny Side School, a virtual classroom.

March is Women’s History Month and all month long Live in the D will be featuring women making an impact in their fields. Today’s “Boss Lady” is in the music industry and has already seen her name in lights with a Grammy award under her belt. Antea “A Plus” Birchett is a Detroit native who writes songs for many stars you may know like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Mary Mary, Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber, and more. She is also currently providing vocal coaching lessons for the National Geographic Genius “Aretha” series stars and vocalists. Watch the video to learn more about this Boss Lady and how she’s impacting the D.

Today, Tati Amare spoke to a local boss lady, Allison Shores, who is inspiring little ladies everywhere to find their Boss Lady within. Allison Shores is one of three female founders of Girls Can! Crate, a monthly subscription box that teaches kids all about the women in the past who have made an important contribution to our society. Finding nothing outside of domestic or appearance-based products, Megan, Kristen Snyder, and Allison decided to create Girls Can! Crate, as a way of exposing all girls to the achievements of all types of women and thereby inspiring them.

Who inspires you? March is Women’s History Month, a time for us to honor and share the stories of women who have helped pave the way in their respective fields in the United States, and beyond. We’d like you to share stories about the women who inspire you. She could be a famous person or someone close to you. Related: Women’s History Month stories

McGruder is also a Girl Scouts board chair member. It was typical NASA,” McGruder said. After her time at NASA, McGruder went to GM. “It’s pretty amazing to understand that I led through that and we had problem after problem after problem. Now, the first robotics mentor for the Girl Scouts is making sure the next generation can reach beyond the stars.

This weekend, animator Amy Smeed will be celebrating the release of her latest film, Raya and the Last Dragon. The film is the latest in a long line for the Royal Oak native, who has already worked on projects like Moana, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, and Tangled. After leaving school, Smeed hoped to strengthen her demo reel enough to give her a head start in the industry. AdSmeed said that despite the difficulty of working from home, the studio worked closely with all the different departments to make the film. Character designers, modeling departments, and rigging departments all worked together to get movement controls ready for production.

Women in Michigan are making 22% less money than their male counterparts, according to a study from Business.org. Women don’t have a higher average salary than men in any US state. Vermont has the smallest pay gap, with women earning only 9% less than men overall. Wyoming has the largest pay gap, with women earning 35% less than men overall. This is Business.org’s third such annual study on the gender pay gap.