Children’s YouTube star Rachel Accurso — best known as Ms Rachel — used the red carpet at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on Monday to make a statement. She shared words, not hers, but those of 11 children from Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The star wore a dress embroidered with their messages and carried their pictures to the event where she was nominated for the Outstanding Preschool Series and Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Series awards. She said she “told everyone about them and how we need to help in every way possible”.
In her Instagram post, she said she didn’t win — she lost the top prize to Sesame Street — but that she was happy to see so many people who care about children together.
The YouTuber thanked the Sudanese American Physicians Society and The Future of Congo for their support in the project. She also shared the messages she had taken to the Emmys.
Masajid, a little girl from Sudan, said she wanted to become an engineer to rebuild her country. Zahraa, seated with her, wanted to become a doctor to help cure people.
From the DRC, Saidati said she wanted to help people when she grew up by becoming a teacher like Accurso. Little Solange also said he was inspired by people who helped him and wanted to do the same for others.
The star is no stranger to speaking out for the children of the world, most recently telling world leaders to “Stop killing kids” after news emerged of a devastating US-Israeli airstrike on a school in the Iranian city of Minab which killed 175 people, including children.
She has been extremely vocal about standing up for children in other conflict zones including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. In November, she wore a gown carrying artwork from nine Gazan children when she was recognised as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year.
Accurso often lends her platform to relief organisations working on the ground to help children in these areas and even assists personally when some of these kids are brought to the US on humanitarian grounds.