Ms. Rachel, the YouTube personality who has become wildly popular among toddlers, says she’s willing to risk her career to stand up for children in war-torn Gaza.
Ms. Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, is a children’s educator who has become a sort of modern-day Mr. Rogers — with denim overalls, a pink headband and a cheery smile.
She has billions of views on YouTube, where her videos and songs focus on language development.
Recently, even Netflix began streaming some of her episodes.
But she has made headlines in recent weeks for speaking out on her other social media platforms about children living inside Gaza. Her comments have sparked backlash from people who say she has not spent as much time talking about Israeli children.
“I care so deeply about every child,” Accurso said. “As a teacher, you have children from many different places, especially in New York City, and you care exactly the same about them. That’s the basis of everything for me, is that children are equal, that they all deserve everything they need to thrive.”
6 questions with Rachel Accurso, or Ms. Rachel
Why did you start making children’s videos?
“I was on maternity leave with my son Thomas, and he wasn’t meeting his speech milestones, and he got speech therapy. And I started thinking about how to help little ones with language development. Could I use media to show some of these wonderful strategies that maybe some kiddos didn’t have access to? So it was born by accident out of a need that I had and that I thought other children could benefit from.”
Why are you using your platform to focus on children inside Gaza?
“I have a 3-month-old. I have a 7-year-old. As a mom, just the daily things I do with them thinking, ‘Moms in Gaza can’t do this right now.’
“My little one is hungry, and I feed her right away, and she’s crying, and I’m able to comfort her and we have a peaceful environment. And it just shakes me to my core that I’ve met two mothers that weren’t able to help their little ones. And I think it’s just putting myself in that position over and over.”
Why are you sharing the story of Rahaf, a young girl who lost both of her legs, and posting more frequently about Gaza?
“When you sit with a mother who’s FaceTiming her boys in Gaza who don’t have food, and you see that anguish and you are there with her, it really moves you — I’m sorry to get emotional — to do everything you can for her.
“Israa, Rahaf’s mom, is a teacher, and her husband and two sons are still there. And, I’m a teacher too. Why am I here? And she was there. There’s no difference. Meeting Rahaf changed my life. You know, I’m not the same as I was before I met her and other kids from Gaza, because I wish everybody could just spend time with Rahaf and these kids. Rahaf has so much strength.
“And of course, you say, ‘I need to do more. What can I do to help?’ I do have a big platform, and I look at it as a responsibility. I also pray every day; ‘How can I help children?’ is just my prayer. I did it before this interview. I just want to help in any way I can. I made a promise to myself when I was sitting with Israa to do everything I can to help her.”
How do you feel about the criticism you’ve received?
“It’s really painful. And I have to remind myself that people don’t know my heart, and people try to tell you who you are, but you know who you are. And I know how deeply and equally I care for all children, and I do lean on my faith in that situation.
“I care so deeply about every child. As a teacher, you have children from many different places, especially in New York City, and you care exactly the same about them. That’s the basis of everything for me, is that children are equal, that they all deserve everything they need to thrive.
“I recently sat down with someone who has a family member that was taken hostage, and sitting with her and hearing the harrowing accounts. Feeling her pain, the anguish, the desperation to get that loved one home, where that loved one belongs, and have the family be complete. If you sat with her as well, if you just sat with her, you would want more than anything for that family to be whole again and them to not be suffering immensely.”
You are now a brand, selling merchandise and books. Has there been pushback from your financial backers?
“There has been, but I wouldn’t be Ms. Rachel if I didn’t deeply care about all kids. And I would risk everything, and I will risk my career over and over to stand up for them. It’s all about the kids for me.”
How do you talk to the grown-ups through your platform?
“I talk to parents pretty candidly on social media, I think, because I feel that pressure to be a parent that makes no mistakes or is perfect or, you know, just does everything well.
“I microwave chicken nuggets, but they are organic. But, you know, I really fail in the cooking department. But with play, I’m really good. I talk about thinking about how you shine as a parent, and how we all shine in different ways. And I’ve had my own struggles, and my husband will say, ‘I think our show is helping you with your big feelings.’
“So I think that they cross over, but obviously I don’t talk to kids about anything that they wouldn’t developmentally be able to handle. The show is about helping them with their development.”
This interview was edited for clarity.
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Ashley Locke produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Michael Scotto. Scotto also adapted it for the web.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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