Ms. Rachel's bullying has now taken a toll on her platform, attacking her humanitarian fundraiser for the children in Gaza.
Rachel Griffin Accurso, the social media creator and teacher known as Ms. Rachel, said she's experienced bullying online following the announcement of a fundraiser she launched for children living in conflict zones, including the Gaza Strip.
Accurso, who has 2 million followers on Instagram and 9.73 million YouTube subscribers, announced her fundraiser Sunday. She said every penny of the donations will go toward the child-focused humanitarian nonprofit Save the Children.
Ms. Rachel Faces Bullying Due to Humanitarian Efforts
Ms. Rachel, known for her vibrant and educational videos that help children learn numbers and colors, shared a heartfelt and somber message on May 16.
The preschool teacher and YouTube star, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, posted a video on Instagram and TikTok revealing that she had become a target of online bullying after starting a fundraiser to assist children in conflict zones, including the Gaza Strip.
In the video, Accurso expressed her deep pain over accusations that she doesn't care about all children. She is seen shedding tears, saying, "The bullying is bad. It's 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 said.
While wiping her tears away, with a crackling voice at the end, she continued to say that she could do this and power through all the hate attacks. She emphasized her commitment to all children in her video caption, writing that Israeli children, Palestinian children, children in the US, whether they are Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, in every country, are included in her humanitarian effort, citing that no one is excluded.
While representatives for Accurso and Save the Children have not yet commented, her efforts align with those of several other creators who have launched similar initiatives amid the Gaza conflict.
Israel's military actions have severely restricted essential supplies of food, fuel, and other aid to Palestinians, prompting influencers like Accurso to use their platforms for humanitarian fundraising.
Children in Gaza
Ms. Rachel's campaign emerges amid a broader discussion on the role of influencers in addressing humanitarian crises.
Many creators across social media have mobilized to support fundraising efforts for families affected by the Gaza conflict, while some pro-Palestinian supporters have criticized influencers and celebrities who remain silent on the issue.
Accurso has been raising funds through Cameos-personalized videos produced by influencers and celebrities-with all proceeds directed to Save the Children's Emergency Fund. These donations aim to assist children in various conflict zones, including Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine.
On Monday, Accurso reported raising $50,000 within hours of her Cameo services going live. She accepted 500 requests for personal videos and has temporarily paused new inquiries until these are completed.
In a follow-up video, she expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and reinforced her commitment to advocating for children's rights.
The United Nations has previously warned about the severe risks faced by children in Gaza, including famine and disease, due to the ongoing conflict.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that 7,797 children have been killed since October 7, following Hamas' attacks on Israel and the subsequent military response in Gaza.
However, the government media office in Gaza reports a higher number of fatalities. OCHA recently revised its methodology for reporting the death toll, which has led to some confusion about the figures.
