"Fearless Girl" turns 1, but her fate remains undecided
The "Fearless Girl" staring down Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull is celebrating her first birthday on International Women's Day, but New York City officials have yet to decide her long-term fate, despite the impact she's made in the business world.
The bronze statue of a young girl with her head held high and hands placed defiantly on her hips was installed one year ago in Lower Manhattan by a major financial firm as a call to action for more women to sit on corporate boards.
"Fearless Girl," which was created by artist Kristen Visbal, stands on property belonging to the city's Department of Transportation and was originally only supposed to stay for a few days after her arrival. After she became a tourist draw and internet sensation, the statue was permitted to remain standing through February 2018.
Natalie Grybauskas, a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, told CBS News the statue will likely stay in place for a few more days after International Women's Day, and the city expects to announce the next steps "very soon."
Last month, Adweek reported that the Fearless Girl and her nemesis, the Charging Bull, could both be moved to a new permanent location. The city declined to comment on the report.
"The Fearless Girl's message has resonated with New Yorkers and visitors alike, and that's something we want to remain a part of the city's civic life," Grybauskas said.
The Fearless Girl statues isn't just popular with visitors near Wall Street, it's also become a symbol of change in the business world.
State Street Global Advisors, the asset management firm behind the defiant statue, said it has reached out to and pressured more than 700 companies in the United States, Britain and Australia that had no women serving on their boards. Of those companies, more than 150 have now added at least one woman and 34 committed to making the same change soon.
"Fearless Girl has sparked important conversations around the world, and has increased shareholder action on the issue of gender diversity," Rakhi Kumar, who leads environmental, social and governance investment strategy at State Street, said in a statement. "However, there is still important work to be done."
The firm also said it voted against more than 500 companies for "failing to demonstrate progress on board diversity." State Street plans to expand its board guidance to companies in Japan, Canada and Europe.
Since her installation, the daring 50-inch statue has received countless visitors and become the star of innumerable tourist photos.
