Fearless Girl

The Fearless Girl, created by artist Kristen Visbal, was put in place by the asset management company State Street Global Advisors on March 7, the eve of International Women's Day. The statue was meant to advertise a new initiative by State Street, calling for more Wall Street firms to have women in leadership. She was met with instant and nearly unanimous acclaim, before some critics questioned why a company with just 5 women on their 26-person leadership team was calling for greater gender equality from other Wall Street companies. While public officials like Mayor Bill de Blasio and public advocate Tish James have applauded the statue, others have labeled her as little more than creative advertising from a giant asset management company.

It is located now at Broad Street across from the New York Stock Exchange Building in the Financial District of Manhattan in New York City.