Rachel Griffin Accurso, known to millions simply as Ms. Rachel, is a celebrated children’s educator and YouTube star behind the hit “Songs for Littles.” With over 14 million subscribers and a Netflix deal, she’s widely recognized as the “Beyoncé for toddlers”.

Since May 2024, Ms. Rachel has begun using her massive influence in a new way: championing humanitarian aid for children in Gaza. She’s raised more than $50,000 for the Children’s Emergency Fund, supporting kids in critically affected regions including Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine.

In November, she introduced her followers to Rahaf, a 3-year-old Palestinian double amputee. Sharing updates on Rahaf’s recovery, from prosthetic legs to emotional resilience, Ms. Rachel described stepping into her world and recognizing that “children are equal, they all deserve a chance to thrive”

Her activism hasn’t been without backlash. Stop Antisemitism, a pro-Israel watchdog group, accused her of promoting “Hamas-aligned propaganda” and even appealed to the U.S. Justice Department for investigation (theguardian.com). Yet Ms. Rachel has repeatedly clarified that her stance stems from pure humanitarian concern, not politics. In a recent interview, she affirmed she’d “risk her career” to stand up for suffering children.

She has explicitly offered thoughts and prayers for children on both sides, stating, “No child, regardless of where they live, should experience such suffering”.

In public conversations, like on Boston’s WBUR, she emphasized that witnessing the pain of mothers and children in Gaza compelled her to act: “I have a big platform… I look at it as a responsibility”.

Her advocacy marks a rare moment when someone known primarily for nursery rhymes has stepped into a global humanitarian role. Ms. Rachel’s efforts remind us that celebrity influence can reach far beyond entertainment, especially when it comes to vulnerable voices.

By speaking out for Gaza’s children, and risking public pushback, she challenges us all to reconsider: when suffering is real, neutrality shouldn’t be an option.