Renowned American children’s content creator Rachel Griffin Accurso, professionally known as Ms Rachel, has reported escalating security threats against her family following her controversial nomination for ‘Antisemite of the Year’ by pro-Israel organization StopAntisemitism.
In a detailed Instagram statement published Thursday, the early childhood educator revealed she has been compelled to employ security personnel due to persistent harassment campaigns originating from false allegations that she supports Hamas. The educational content creator, celebrated for her ‘Songs for Littles’ YouTube series that delivers developmental content to toddlers, emphasized that the accusations lack any evidentiary foundation.
The situation has profoundly affected her personal life, with Ms Rachel describing emotional distress experienced by her young children. She recounted an incident where her son overheard safety discussions and subsequently spent the night clinging to her hand, fearful for her security. ‘This has taken such a toll on me and my family,’ she expressed, ‘and all I’ve wanted was to help kids.’
The controversy originated in May 2024 when Ms Rachel initiated a humanitarian fundraiser for children in multiple conflict zones, including Gaza. Pro-Israel groups subsequently criticized her for sharing content with her substantial audience of over 20 million followers that documented the plight of Palestinian children affected by food shortages and military operations.
Among the nine public figures nominated for the controversial distinction were media personality Tucker Carlson and actress Marcia Cross, all of whom have publicly criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza and U.S. support for these actions.
Recent months have seen StopAntisemitism escalate their campaign by petitioning U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate potential foreign funding of Ms Rachel’s advocacy—an allegation currently unsupported by publicly available evidence.
Despite the intense pressure, Ms Rachel remains resolute in her advocacy, affirming that the harassment will not deter her from ‘standing with the kids of Gaza, Sudan and the Congo etc.’
The situation has generated significant social media discourse, with historian Assal Rad commenting: ‘We live in a world where Ms Rachel has faced more pressure for defending Palestinian children than Israel has for slaughtering them.’ Numerous supporters have echoed this sentiment, praising her educational contributions while condemning the smear campaign.