In front of the NYSE in NYC is a 4 foot high bronze ‘Fearless Girl’ Statue that has become a major tourist attraction. The statue symbolizes female empowerment, and the higher representation of women on corporate boards.
NYC decided her time was up. I has no idea why the heck they thought thought she should go, until I caught the story in a post on LinkedIn by Michelle Tranon the day there was to be a public hearing in NYC about all of this.
Michelle, a Top 100 Women in Fintech Founder and Leader, was passionate the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue should not be moved.
“The ‘Fearless Girl’ is a symbolic reminder that women deserve a seat at the table. I teared up in December when I walked up to her, thinking I’m just about to walk into NYSE to celebrate how far NYC Fintech Women have come. She is me. She is us.”
Michelle continued, “She represents every single woman in NYC, and in particular, women in financial services and tech who have fought for her place at the table. Her current location in front of NYSE is symbolic, inspiring, and important, especially because of how hard women have had to fight for careers.”
When I read in Michelles’ post that NYC Fintech Women had written a letter of support to the Design Commission at NYC City Hall and that Michelle was asking others to write letters or attend the public hearing that morning, I threw my hat in the ring. I wrote her on LinkedIn and threw out a last minute invite for her to join my show to get the word out. She caught my message minutes before my show went live so we just went with it.
The collective efforts must have worked becuse ‘Fearless Girl’ gets to stay! (For awhile anyway).
An article in the NY POST after the hearing reported the decision. “We today, the Public Design Commission, cannot make this a permanent piece of art,” commission president Signe Nielsen said. “We can urge that steps be taken to enable this work to be considered for the public collection.”
She gets to stay in front of the NYSE for 11 more months. Other smart people in NYC are already scrambling to claim her and take ownership. Whoever or wherever that is will surely win with women everywhere. Hmmmm where might that be?
For the record, the ‘Fearless Girl’ statue was put at the NYSE ‘temporarily’ back in 2017. It was commissioned by State Street Global Advisors, an asset management firm out of Boston. There’s been a load of controversy involving this statue since then, and seems even the amazing artist Kristen Visbal, is somehow in some kind of litigation with that company.
This conversation with Michelle Tran took place on the morning of the hearing. She’s great. Enjoy!
Go #FearlessGirls Everywhere!
