Beloved activist Shirley Raines, whose incredible work involved giving out food and other resources to Skid Row’s homeless community, has tragically passed away at 58. Her organization, Beauty 2 The Streetz, confirmed the news in a statement on Instagram.
“It is with profound sorrow and heavy hearts that Beauty 2 The Streetz announces the passing of our beloved CEO and founder, Shirley Raines, affectionately known to so many as Ms. Shirley,” the statement said. “Ms. Shirley dedicated her life to serving others and made an immeasurable impact on homeless communities throughout Los Angeles and Nevada. Through her tireless advocacy, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment, she used her powerful media platform to amplify the voices of those in need and to bring dignity, resources, and hope to some of the most underserved populations.”
Ms. Shirley Is Remembered For Her ‘Generosity And Selfless Service’
In the statement, Beauty 2 The Streetz pays tribute to Ms. Shirley, by remembering her “love, generosity, and selfless service,” adding that “her legacy will continue to live on through the work she started and the hearts she touched.”
Thousands of comments were left under the statement, posting heartfelt messages.
“Heaven just received one of their fiercest Angels 😪🫶🏽 Rest In Power Queen,” one person wrote.
“What in the world?!! We lost an amazing woman. Your legacy will live on Ms Shirley ❤️,” another person said.
“I can’t even understand this. This is extremely sad and upsetting. Such a beautiful person doing beautiful work. You helped so many people and included us in making a difference. This is truly a sad day 💔,” someone posted.
Ms. Shirley’s Legacy
Ms. Shirley’s organization, Beauty 2 The Streetz, has over one millions followers on Instagram as well as nearly six million followers on TikTok. She shares videos of her tireless work, handing out food and other resources in Downtown Los Angeles.
One of the things I wanted to do was change the face of homelessness, and I thought I was going to do that through hair and all these things,” she told PEOPLE in a 2020 interview. “But I soon understood we needed to change the narrative of what ‘homeless’ means. Just because they’re without a home does not mean they’re without love. They are homeless, but a lot of them are not jobless. A lot of them are not kidless, phoneless or familyless. There are many levels of poverty as there are many levels of wealth.”
