Children’s YouTuber, Rachel Accurso, also known as Ms. Rachel, has voiced her support for reparations. She posted a quote on Instagram from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ essay “The Case for Reparations.” This marks another political stance by the online educator.
In the quote, Coates highlights America’s history of slavery and systemic racism. “Two hundred fifty years of slavery. Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. Thirty-five years of racist housing policy. Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole,” the quote stated.
Accurso and Coates were contacted for comments, but no response was received. Coates’ essay claims that American prosperity is built on unjust foundations. He writes about the need for national reconciliation, not as monetary compensation alone, but as a spiritual renewal. He suggests that reparations should address the denial of historical facts.
Recently, Ms. Rachel has been vocal about progressive issues. Her endorsements for Democratic candidates, like former Rep. Cori Bush and U.S. Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, highlight her political engagements. Additionally, she commented on racial bias in the investigation of Nolan Wells’ death, suggesting racial factors influenced the outcome.
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney, Dave Aronberg, criticized Accurso’s involvement in the investigation. He accused her of sowing division by perceiving events through a narrative lens. Aronberg called for transparency in such cases, away from sensationalism by popular figures.