Mayor de Blasio Announces New Home for 'Fearless Girl' Statue

April 19, 2018

'Fearless Girl' statue will relocate to the New York Stock Exchange

NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the Fearless Girl statue will move to a new location in front of the New York Stock Exchange in the heart of New York’s Financial District. Since its temporary installation more than a year ago, the statue has become a major attraction and a resonant symbol for increasing the representation of women at senior levels of management. The statue is owned by State Street Global Advisors, the asset management business of State Street Corporation.

The new, long-term home will also alleviate safety issues arising from the large numbers of pedestrians and visitors drawn to the statue, which has been located on a narrow median on Broadway.

“We are proud to be home to the Fearless Girl. She is a powerful symbol of the need for change at the highest levels of corporate America—and she will become a durable part of our city’s civic life,” said Mayor de Blasio. “This move to a new location will improve access for visitors and ensure that her message and impact continues to be heard. We’re grateful to State Street for their partnership in keeping the Fearless Girl here in New York City.”

“We thank Mayor Bill de Blasio and the millions of people from New York City and all over the world who have enthusiastically embraced Fearless Girl and her powerful message,” said State Street Global Advisors President and Chief Executive Officer Cyrus Taraporevala. “Since Fearless Girl’s placement, more than 150 companies have now added a woman to their board. Our hope is that by moving closer to the NYSE she will inspire many more companies to take action.”

“We eagerly await the arrival of Fearless Girl to her fitting new home, standing her ground and training her unblinking eyes on our engine of progress and free enterprise,” said Thomas Farley, President of the New York Stock Exchange. “The historic corner of Wall & Broad saw the swearing in of our country’s first president and the birth of our capital markets, and is joined now by a striking symbol of our ongoing journey toward greater equality, broader inclusion, and a more perfect union.”

"I am thrilled Fearless Girl will remain in New York, inspiring global collaboration between genders for better decisions, and an improved environment at every strata of society," said Kristen Visbal, Fearless Girl Sculptor.

Fearless Girl was originally installed in the Financial District on the eve of International Women’s Day in March 2017.

State Street Global Advisors will work with the Mayor’s office to relocate Fearless Girl from Bowling Green Park on Broadway Street to her new home, facing the Stock Exchange. The move will be complete by the end of 2018.

“The Fearless Girl has resonated with New York City. We have to confront the underrepresentation of women at the top levels of business, and the Fearless Girl was built to talk about that inequity," said Alicia Glen, New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.

“The Fearless Girl and her message struck a chord and resonated with girls and women not just in New York but around the world, becoming an overnight icon,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “I’d love it if she could stare down the Charging Bull for the rest of time, but even if she can’t, I’m glad she will stay in the neighborhood and remind those who pass by the Stock Exchange that it’s past time for companies to put more women in boardrooms and in charge.”

“I’m thrilled that the Fearless Girl will have a long-term home in the heart of New York’s financial district,” said Representative Carolyn B. Maloney. “The Fearless Girl called attention to the severe lack of women sitting on corporate boards but she connected with so many women and girls because embodies the resiliency that each woman must possess to get ahead.  While I would have loved for her to remain in her original spot, public safety issues made that untenable. This new location will allow her to continue to be a symbol for equality and greater opportunities for women, while still standing up to the bull that too many women have to put up with. I thank and applaud Mayor de Blasio for this thoughtful outcome."

“The Fearless Girl statue has served as a rallying point for many New Yorkers and people from around the world concerned about gender equity,” State Senator Brian Kavanagh said. “I’m glad the city has found a safe, permanent place for this statue that is fast becoming an icon."

“Fearless Girl is more than just a symbol of ‘what could be’ – she represents the powerful movement emerging today, as young women across the country rise up to fight for a safer, fairer world,” said New York City Council Members Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera, who co-chair the Council’s Women Caucus. “Since her installation, Fearless Girl has become an integral part of our Lower Manhattan community, and I am thrilled that she will inspire even more New Yorkers and visitors in her new home by the New York Stock Exchange. Thank you to Mayor De Blasio for your support for Fearless Girl and for your unwavering commitment to build a city where every girl can make their voices heard.”

“Works of art like Fearless Girl help challenge norms and expand and elevate conversations on important issues,” said Council Member Van Bramer, Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs and Libraries. “Her fierce and powerful presence has truly contributed to the ongoing cultural awakening that is amplifying women’s voices, ensuring more seats at the table and advancing women to positions of power. Fearless girl has inspired millions and I am thrilled that she’s here in our city to stay.”

"We are pleased by the city’s decision to relocate the Fearless Girl from a busy intersection on lower Broadway to the Stock Exchange area," said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin.  "Her new location is both safer and a fitting and natural home for her."
The City is also looking at a similar move to the vicinity of the stock exchange for the “Charging Bull” statue.