Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Glamour
Ms. Rachel is lending her voice to another project uplifting the stories of Palestinian children who have been affected by the war in Gaza. The beloved celebrity educator participated in the new short film Light From Palestine, which shows a series of large-scale audiovisual projections featuring animations of drawings created by children in Gaza. The project was made by creative studio Tre Borden /Co with the producers behind the award-winning documentary The Voice of Hind Rajab and their distributor, Willa.
Ms. Rachel, real name Rachel Griffin Accurso, has long been a staunch advocate for Palestinian children. In 2024, she raised more than $50,000 for the humanitarian organization Save the Children, with the funds going toward children living in conflict zones including Gaza, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ukraine.
She has also featured Rahaf, a toddler who lost both her legs in an Israeli air strike, on her channels. Last year, Accurso wore a gown embroidered with images of artwork created by Gazan children to Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards. Her activism on behalf of the war’s most vulnerable victims has led the right wing to accuse her of being pro-Hamas and antisemitic.
Light From Palestine shows how the drawings and quotes from the young artists, curated by Accurso, were used to create animations that were projected across several major locations in Los Angeles and New York, including buildings alongside the 101 Freeway and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Photo: Paul Vu, Tre Borden /Co
Photo: Teddy Labissiere, Tre Borden /Co
The film zooms in on a message written by 9-year-old Shahed that reads, “I lost 18 members of my family in the house that day … I am still afraid. I hope to see all children here without sadness in their eyes.” The quote is accompanied by a drawing of a boat. Another message, by 12-year-old Ahmed, reads, “Our house is gone. I’ll live in a tent. I want to go home.” The drawing below it depicts a person carrying a house on their back, hinting at the recurrent displacement families across Gaza have experienced throughout the war.
The animations also include images and recordings of Hind Rajab, the 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was brutally killed by Israeli forces in early 2024. The documentary about her death won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2025 and this year received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Non–English Language. It is shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film Oscar and is likely to receive a nomination this year.
Photo: Teddy Labissiere, Tre Borden /Co
Photo: Paul Vu, Tre Borden /Co
Separately, Accurso recently presented “Colors That Survived,” a one-day exhibition also featuring artwork by Gazan children that was held at Caelum Gallery in New York City. Pieces are available for purchase through the end of the month; the show has raised around $70,000 so far, according to a spokesperson. All proceeds will go toward young Palestinian artists. “I am forever changed by connecting with these incredible children from Gaza,” Accurso said in a statement about the exhibition. “They share their powerful art, stories, and hopes for the future with such courage in the face of unimaginable hardship.”
Stay in touch.
Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily
Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice
Related
