TikTok Star and Homelessness Advocate Shirley Raines Dies at 58
Shirley Raines, the social media creator and non-profit founder who became known as "Ms. Shirley" to millions, has died at the age of 58. Her organization, Beauty 2 The Streetz, announced the devastating news on Wednesday, leaving a void in the communities she served across California and Nevada.
A Life Dedicated to Dignity and Compassion
Raines built a following of over 5 million people on TikTok, using her powerful platform to shine a light on homelessness and bring practical support to those in need. Every week, people would line up for the food, beauty treatments, and hygiene supplies she personally distributed in Los Angeles' Skid Row and other areas with significant homeless populations.
"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," Beauty 2 The Streetz wrote in a heartfelt social media tribute.
From Personal Tragedy to Public Service
The motivation behind Raines' remarkable work stemmed from profound personal loss. After the death of her young son, she described herself as a "very broken woman" during her 2021 acceptance speech for CNN's Hero of the Year award. Yet she transformed that grief into action, beginning her work with homeless communities in 2017.
"It's important you know that broken people are still very much useful," Raines told the CNN audience. "I would rather have him back than anything in the world, but I am a mother without a son, and there are a lot of people in the street that are without a mother. And I feel like it's a fair exchange – I'm here for them."
The Human Touch That Changed Lives
Those who witnessed Raines' work describe her approach as uniquely personal and transformative. She greeted everyone with warm enthusiasm and respect, addressing people as "King" or "Queen" as she handed out meals from her car window. In one memorable moment captured on video just two weeks before her death, she gave her own shoes to a barefoot child waiting for food, protecting the girl's feet from the cold asphalt.
Crushow Herring, art director of the Sidewalk Project which helps homeless people in Los Angeles through art programs, noted how Raines created meaningful opportunities for those she served. "She always had people around her that were motivational, and generous and polite to community members," Herring said. "By the time a year or two goes by, they're part of the organization – they have responsibility, they have something to look forward to."
A Legacy That Transcends Social Media
Melissa Acedera, founder of Polo's Pantry, recalled joining Raines every Saturday during Beauty 2 The Streetz's early days. She emphasized how Raines remembered people's birthdays and made special efforts to reach transgender and queer individuals who often found themselves on Skid Row's margins. "It's hard not to think of Shirley when I'm there," Acedera reflected.
Raines' impact was recognized earlier this year when she received the NAACP Image Award for outstanding social media personality in February 2025. Following news of her death, fellow creators expressed their admiration and grief online, with foraging educator Alexis Nikole Nelson describing her as "love incarnate" and "truly the best of us."
The Ongoing Crisis She Sought to Address
Raines' work addressed one of Los Angeles' most persistent and visible problems. The 2025 homeless count found approximately 72,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night across Los Angeles County. Makeshift constructions and tents fill Skid Row, while encampments have spread to suburban areas under freeway overpasses and even outside city hall.
Herring noted the widespread shock at Raines' passing, saying, "I've been getting calls all morning from people, not just who live in Skid Row but Angelenos who are shocked. To see the work she did, and how people couldn't wait to see her come out? It was a great mission. What most people need is just feeling dignity about themselves, because if they look better, they feel better."
The organization has not released Raines' cause of death but promised to share additional information when available. She is survived by five of her six children, having lost one son in childhood. Her legacy lives on through the countless lives she touched and the model of compassionate service she established for addressing homelessness with dignity and respect.
