Arguably the most popular children’s entertainer at the moment, Ms. Rachel is beloved by toddlers who watch her education videos via YouTube and Netflix.
Now, she’s making headlines for her philanthropy, stepping up to make a sizeable donation to a fundraiser for a child at the center of a video that’s gone viral.
A Shocking Video
It all began when Micah Whitaker posted a video on TikTok, taken during a children’s puppet show on October 3 at the Darien Library in Darien, Connecticut.
Whitaker alleges the librarian lavished attention on all the youngsters there — with the single exception of Whitaker’s 17-month-old son, Messiah, who was the only Black child there.
The video went viral, racking up millions of views within days, sparking so much outrage that the librarian was placed on administrative leave while the NAACP has launched an investigation.
Whitaker launched a GoFundMe in the hopes of raising $6,000 to take Messiah to Disney World, “where he can experience the joy, magic, and excitement every child deserves.”
Per the GoFundMe page, “More than anything, Micah wants this little boy to be surrounded by love and reminded that one hurtful experience does not define who he is or what the world can hold for him.”
Enter Ms. Rachel
Among the many people to contribute to Whitaker’s fundraising effort was Ms. Rachel, a.k.a. Rachel Griffin Accurso.
Accurso put a big dent in the GoFundMe’s goal by contributing $3,000 toward the effort.
Prior to making her contribution, Accurso commented on an update video shared via TikTok by Whitaker and the boy’s mother, Jae-Lin Reid.
“I’m so sorry about the racism he experienced,” Accurso said in her comment, as reported by the Stamford Advocate. “I’d be so honored to meet him and you two! And he can play with all of our puppets!”
Whitaker responded to a TikTok comment asking about Accurso, revealing that he had been in contact with her, and they will be collaborating on something “hopefully soon.”
Popularity Amid Controversy
There is no denying the popularity of the character Accurso has created; Ms. Rachel’s YouTube channel, “Songs for Littles,” has amassed more than 17.6 billion views, while she signed a lucrative deal to bring her content to Netflix.
However, amid all that widespread popularity has come controversy in some quarters, as her liberal leanings (she’s championed LGBTQ rights, has posted about her support for slavery reparations and has been a vocal opponent of Israel’s military efforts in Gaza) has made her a hero of the left.
As she explained in an interview with The Guardian, she was advised to keep her lips zipped when it came to anything political, but she admitted that “didn’t feel right” to her.
“It’s good to criticize governments for violating children’s rights,” she said. “It’s something that everyone should be doing. Because we’re the grownups of this world and we’re meant to keep children safe. And the fact that we are not is horrific.”
Ms. Rachel Makes Donation to Family Who Posted Viral Darien Library Video