Ms. Rachel Calls Out Racist Nursery Rhymes on Subway Takes

When children's educator Ms. Rachel stepped onto Kareem Rahma's "Subway Takes" video series, she came ready to talk about issues that matter for kids everywhere.

Rachel Accurso, known to millions as Ms. Rachel, didn't hold back during her appearance on the popular New York City interview show. The pink-cardigan-wearing entertainer tackled topics ranging from problematic children's songs to child detention centers.

Her first hot take addressed nursery rhymes that need updating. While she joked that "Three Little Kittens" just needs better problem-solving strategies, Accurso got serious about songs with racist histories. She specifically called out "Jimmy Crack Corn," "Oh! Susanna," and "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" as needing retirement due to their connections to blackface minstrelsy and racial slurs.

"People are like, 'What will we do?' and I'm like, you know how many wonderful nursery rhymes and kids' songs exist?" Accurso said with characteristic warmth. "And we can make new ones! Like, it's okay."

But her most powerful moment came when she shifted to immigration detention centers. "No child should be in an immigration detention center," she stated firmly. Accurso explained that pediatricians she's spoken with describe the medical neglect inside as abuse, with some even calling it torture.

The educator has been walking the walk, not just talking the talk. She's shared letters from detained children with Congress members and has sung alongside families outside detention facilities in New Jersey as ICE raids intensify nationwide.

Why This Inspires

Accurso represents a new kind of children's entertainer who refuses to stay silent on injustice. She uses her massive platform to advocate for all children, not just those who watch her shows. Her message is simple but powerful: adults have a sacred responsibility to protect every child.

When Rahma expressed frustration that public attention fades so quickly after tragedies, Accurso offered a characteristically hopeful response. "But at least we're talking about it," she said. "That's something."

Her willingness to address difficult topics while maintaining optimism shows how voices of influence can spark real conversations about change.