Rachel Accurso, the children’s entertainer known as Ms. Rachel who rose to prominence on YouTube before striking a deal to bring her videos to Netflix, announced on Instagram that she is matching Macklemore‘s $1 million donation to organizations supporting Palestine.
“I will match Macklemore’s donation and I invite every wealthy white celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza,” Accurso posted on social media. “Over 20,000 precious Palestinian children have been killed and children continue to be killed every day. We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights.”
Accurso has emerged as one of the most vocal celebrities when it comes to the war in Gaza. She previously raised more than $1 million to support children in war zones such as Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. She’s also been posting in support of Macklemore since news broke that he was dropped from Ed Sheeran‘s tour over the “Free Palestine” speeches he made on stage earlier in the month.
Macklemore announced Sept. 16 that he was donating the entire $1 million salary he made as part of opening for Ed Sheeran to organizations supporting Palestine. The rapper said he was dropped from Sheeran’s tour after Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft refused to let Macklemore play at the venue due to his vocal support for Palestine. Kraft allegedly was talking to other stadium owners to get them to ban Macklemore as well, forcing the tour promoters to drop him.
“I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people. And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation,” Macklemore announced on Instagram. “Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.”
Kraft responded by claiming that both he and Sheeran would be donating $2 million each to “aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” although no specific organizations were listed. After Macklemore was dropped from the tour, Sheeran posted a statement that ignited widespread backlash against him as he explained why, unlike Macklemore, he does not speak out on political issues.
“Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way,” the singer wrote. “There is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics – my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.”
Accurso was one of the celebrities who condemned Sheeran, posting on Instagram: “Ed Sheeran had an opportunity [to] show that we won’t be bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine. Instead he caved to people who refuse to accept what the world knows. A genocide is happening in Gaza. We all need to speak out against it.”
Given her role as a children’s entertainer, Accurso has courted backlash for speaking out on politics over the last few years. She was equally vocal earlier this year in the fight against ICE as she joined a campaign to close the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas, where ICE detains children and their parents. Back in January, Accurso found herself in the center of a social media firestorm when she appeared to “like” an antisemitic comment on Instagram. Accurso apologized and said the incident was an accident.
In a statement to Variety at the time, Accurso said, “Yesterday, I accidentally liked a hateful comment on my social media while trying to delete it. I have always been completely clear on this; I do not support language that targets or harms the Jewish community or any community. Antisemitism and hate of any kind have no place in my life or my work. Everything I do is rooted in kindness, inclusion, and care for all humanity. Those values guide me every day, and I remain firmly committed to them.”
Read Accurso’s latest statement in the post below.
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