Ms. Rachel’s online videos are usually filled with bright images and upbeat songs to help kids learn their numbers and colors.
But on May 16, the pre-school teacher turned YouTube star best known for her “Songs for Littles” series, shared a somber video on Instagram and TikTok saying that she’d been the target of online “bullying” after launching a fundraiser to help kids in war-torn areas, including the Gaza Strip.
“The bullying is bad. It’s so bad, but I can handle this,” Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, says in the video, wiping away tears.
“Saying I don’t care about all kids, it’s like, it just hurts so bad. That is who I am. I love my neighbor. I love every child. Imagining for one second what a mom is going through unable to feed her child or give her child clean water or keep her child safe,” she says in the video.
Accurso reiterated in her caption that she cares “deeply for all children.”
“Palestinian children, Israeli children, children in the US — Muslim, Jewish, Christian children — all children, in every country. Not one is excluded,” she wrote.
“To do a fundraiser for children who are currently starving — who have no food or water — who are being killed — is human,” the mom of two added.
Representatives for Accurso did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s requests for comment.
Accurso’s fans on TikTok responded sympathetically to her tearful video.
“Aww Ms. Rachel from the bottom of my babies’ heart and mine, we love you & we know how much you care about the health/happiness/wellness of every child,” wrote one.
On her Instagram video, Accurso disabled the comments on that post and several others.
Accurso announced her fundraising initiative in a video on May 12. The YouTube star explained her plan to create videos for children on the celebrity video message site Cameo and then give “every penny” to the humanitarian nonprofit Save the Children’s emergency fund to help kids living in conflict areas around the world, including Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine. Save the Children currently is not active in Israel.
“Hopefully I can make little ones smile by giving them a personal video and then the money will go to help more children living in unimaginable circumstances,” she said. “Children should never experience the horrors of war. These are grave violations of their human rights. Children should be protected.”
Days later, Accurso announced in an update that she had already raised $50,000 after receiving 500 requests for Cameo videos and was forced to pause her initiative in order to fulfill the orders.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
