New York, MINA – American YouTuber Rachel Griffin-Accurso, widely known as Ms. Rachel, wore a dress embroidered with artwork by children from Gaza as she received Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year 2025 Award in New York on Tuesday.
The black-and-white gown featured embroidery by nine young Palestinian artists from Gaza, showcasing doves of peace adorned with flowers holding olive branches on the front, and the Palestinian flag on the back, as reported by The New Arab.
At the bottom of the gown was a poignant image of a child standing amid Gaza’s ruins, feeding a cat from a bowl inscribed with the word “Hope.” Each artwork was accompanied by the artist’s name, and Ms. Rachel held their portraits while giving the acceptance speech.
Recognized by Glamour for her advocacy for children, Ms. Rachel has consistently spoken up for Gaza’s youth since the start of Israel’s war on the enclave. She said the dress was meant to share the children’s stories with the world, adding, “They know about the dress, and they are so excited.”
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In her acceptance speech, Ms. Rachel expressed pride in wearing the children’s art and shared the story of Rana, one of the young artists who lost both her sisters during the genocide.
“Rana made this beautiful drawing,” she said. “She lost both of her sisters in the genocide. She lost her nine-month-old sister, Haya, in her arms in an airstrike. Her older sister was killed the next month.”
“She wanted the world to know that her sisters are not numbers. They are moons. They are like the stars. They shine and sparkle.”
Rana’s artwork, depicting a bucket pouring planets and stars into the sky, was embroidered onto Ms. Rachel’s left shoulder.
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A vocal critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, Ms. Rachel has focused her advocacy on Palestinian children — over 20,000 of whom have been killed since the conflict began.
In September, she was also appointed as a global ambassador for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. Despite backlash for her stance, she told Boston public radio WBUR:
“I wouldn’t be Rachel if I didn’t care deeply about all children,” she said. “I would risk everything, my career again and again, to stand up for them. For me, it’s all about the children.”
Speaking to Glamour earlier, she emphasized that her platform as one of the world’s leading children’s entertainers carries a great responsibility, one she intends to use for good.
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