Camera flashes are all that can be seen as Rachel Accurso walks the red carpet wearing drawings from children in Gaza all over her dress. Every interviewer eagerly stands at the edge of the carpet, all waiting for their chance to ask Accurso the same question: What does this dress mean to you?
Accurso is commonly known to parents and children as Ms. Rachel from a TV show she created for the purpose of helping children learn language and communication skills. Over time, this has evolved into Accurso using her platform to advocate for children all around the world, but has recently been recognized for the current work she is doing for children in Gaza.
On Nov. 4, there was a ceremony to announce Glamour’s Women of the Year, one of them being Accurso. She was recognized for the activism she has built into her platform as an influence to children, and accepted the award wearing a dress decorated with drawings from children in Gaza, which she credited while giving her acceptance speech.
Accurso has been vocal about her influence from Mr. Rogers on the show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” specifically from his quiet acts of activism, and his need to make sure everyone felt welcomed by him.
“[Mr. Rogers] was so dedicated to media being as good as it can be for kids,” Accurso said in an interview with Glamour. “That it’s something we need to take seriously, and it’s a responsibility. So I think about that a lot, and I think about his beautiful care for every child.”
She wants to use her platform in a similar way, and so far she has.
Most recently, Accurso has worked with one child from Gaza in particular named Rahaf, who is a 3 year old getting medical treatment in the US through the Palestine’s Children Relief Fund. Accurso helped Rahaf make plans for her birthday and featured her in an episode of “Ms. Rachel,” which has not been released yet.
But this is just one example. Accurso also regularly posts videos of her talking with children from Gaza on her Instagram, as a way to try and get her audience to see the conditions these children are under and get help for them.
Even though Accurso has gone through great efforts to raise awareness for children, she still feels as though she has only made a small difference, or that the change she has made is only a, “drop in the ocean,” as she said in an Instagram post.
“You can reach such large audiences and cause such a big discussion on issues like this,” said junior Seven Snelten. “Like, if Taylor Swift were to use her platform to do the same thing as Ms. Rachel, she would reach billions of people. Even if people didn’t agree with the message, it would still cause discussion.”
There are many celebrities that choose to ignore what is happening in the world, regardless of which side they are on. This makes the celebrities that do speak out, such as Accurso, stand out even more.
“I know who I am,” Accurso said in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning. “God knows who I am. I’m here to serve children and I will not back down.”
Accurso walks to the stage at the Women of the Year Ceremony, excited to tell everyone the stories of the children that drew the artwork on her dress and what it symbolizes.
“I want to end with [Rama’s] words because they’re more important than mine,” Accurso said to end her acceptance speech. “Rama wanted to say, ‘I want to tell the world my sisters are not numbers. They are moons. They are like the stars—they shine and sparkle.’”
The crowd stands to applaud as Accurso exits the stage, almost everyone crying as they realize what the dress represents: children that need their help.