AT A GLANCE
• Ms. Rachel praised a Black-owned NYC children’s museum for stepping up when other venues refused.
• Playstreet Museum Upper West Side hosted 3-year-old Gaza amputee Rahaf for a special filming day.
• Owners James and Kristina Payne welcomed the child “with open arms.”
• The episode placed Ms. Rachel squarely in the heated conversation around the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Black-Owned Business in New York City Becomes Hero of Ms. Rachel’s Behind-the-Scenes Story
Online children’s content creator Ms. Rachel is spotlighting the Black-owned business that stepped in when others turned her away. On Tuesday, the YouTuber, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, revealed new behind-the-scenes details about filming with Rahaf, a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza, and how Playstreet Museum Upper West Side became the location that said yes when three other venues refused.
Accurso, 42, shared the story in an Instagram post, calling out the husband-and-wife owners James and Kristina Payne for welcoming her and Rahaf “with open arms.”
“Many of you saw the video where I shared that 3 venues turned us down,” Accurso wrote over a photo from the visit. “The venue that welcomed Rahaf with open arms was Play Street Museum on the Upper West Side in NYC. I love them so much!”
Her post included screenshots of her outreach, photos from the July 2024 filming day, and details about the museum’s interactive play space.
“Please support @paynefamilynyc,” she added. “After 3 venues turned down having Rahaf I was scared to even ask another venue. They immediately said yes, all kids are welcome here. They made me cry because I was so touched.”
Although Accurso didn’t say why she resurfaced the story now, her May episode featuring Rahaf placed her in the national conversation about Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian crisis that has left thousands of Palestinian children displaced, injured, or killed.
At the time, the Paynes responded with humility.
“This post isn’t about us,” they wrote on Instagram. “Hosting @msrachelforlittles is always an honor… but hosting Rahaf, her family and friends from @thepcrf was the ultimate honor that day.”
They described Accurso as “the embodiment of boundless compassion for ALL kids EVERYWHERE,” and Rahaf as “the personification of endless joy and strength despite unimaginable suffering.”
The couple said they were grateful to provide the place where “these two forces of nature met,” turning their children’s museum into the setting for a moment that has resonated far beyond New York City.
