Fearless Girl by Kristen Visbal.
In time for International Women's Day, artist Kristen Visbal created the bronze statue standing defiantly in front of the iconic Wall Street bull. The already popular statue, which is only scheduled to be on display for a week, was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, a nearly $2.5 trillion investor and asset manager, for a campaign aimed at getting company boards to increase the number of members who are women. The money manager says it may vote against boards if a company fails to add female board members, and will send a letter to 3,500 companies asking the companies to act. "One of the most iconic images on Wall Street is the charging bull," Lori Heinel, State Street's deputy global chief investment officer, tells Business Insider. "So the idea of having a female sort of stand against the bull or stand up to the bull just struck us as a very clever but also creative and engaging way to make that statement. Even though it's a little girl, her stance is one of determination, forwardness, and being willing to challenge and take on the status quo."