Ms Rachel urges 'every wealthy White celebrity' to match Macklemore's donation to Palestinian causes

YouTube star Ms. Rachel pledges to match Macklemore’s $1 million donation to Palestinian aid

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Maine residents who follow the latest viral moments on social media will know Rachel Griffin Accurso—better known as “Ms. Rachel”—as a YouTube sensation who turns the world’s favorite “Let’s Play” and “Sing‑along” videos into lessons for kids. On Thursday, the 43‑year‑old content creator used that platform to take a stand on one of the most contentious humanitarian crises of the year.

In a long Instagram post, Ms. Rachel announced that she will match the $1 million that rapper Macklemore has pledged to send to Palestinian aid groups. She specifically called out “wealthy White celebrities” to do the same, arguing that those in the spotlight have a duty to speak against what she calls the genocide of Palestinian children in Gaza.

“We will match Macklemore’s donation, and we invite every wealthy White celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza,” she wrote. “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.”

Ms. Rachel’s statement comes after Macklemore revealed that earnings from the Loop Tour—where he opened for Ed Sheeran—would be distributed to six aid agencies. These include the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) USA National Committee, and the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA).

The rapper, who was dropped from the tour after a Monday night performance at New York’s MetLife Stadium, had sparked controversy by repeatedly calling for a “Free Palestine” and performing an anti‑Israel song, “Hind’s Hall,” during his opening set. The decision to remove him followed backlash from fans, the tour’s organizers, and the broader entertainment community.

Macklemore has also challenged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match his donation after the owner declined to host the rapper at Gillette Stadium due to Macklemore’s activism. Kraft countered by noting that he had already committed $2 million to Palestinian aid, citing his long‑standing humanitarian work in the region.

While Ms. Rachel’s call for action has found support among a segment of the public, it has also drawn sharp criticism from pro‑Israel groups and commentators. The Coalition for Jewish Values’ executive vice president, Rabbi Yaakov Menken, said the star’s focus was disproportionate: “She claims to care about 35.5 million children suffering from acute malnutrition across Africa, the Middle East and Asia but spends an inordinate amount of time speaking about 0.031 million children in Gaza,” he wrote. “When 0.09 % of starving children receive 90 % of her attention, something is wrong.”

Menken added that Ms. Rachel had not spoken about Israeli children until “seven months later, when the backlash became too loud to ignore,” suggesting that her concerns were motivated more by political agenda than by genuine empathy.

In response to the criticism, Ms. Rachel emphasized the racial dimension of the silence surrounding the crisis. “If more than 20,000 White children were killed in another part of the world, everyone would be shouting about it at their concerts,” she said. “Treating some children’s lives as less worthy of outrage is racist. Silence during a genocide is not neutral.”

Her comments were amplified by a group of progressive lawmakers and activists who had also criticized Ed Sheeran after Macklemore’s removal. They argued that the silence of some celebrities about the Gaza conflict amounted to “racism” and “moral confusion,” a stance that has fueled a broader debate over the role of public figures in political advocacy.

Ms. Rachel reached out to the news outlet for further comment but has not yet replied.

The story raises questions about the intersection of celebrity influence, philanthropy, and political activism. While Ms. Rachel’s pledge and Macklemore’s donation could provide meaningful aid to Palestinian children, the public backlash underscores the deep divisions in how the crisis is framed and who gets to decide the narrative.

For now, the $1 million promise stands, with the potential for it to double if other high‑profile figures heed Ms. Rachel’s call. Whether the generosity translates into tangible relief for families in Gaza—or into a broader public conversation about accountability and bias—remains to be seen.