TikTok activist Shirley Raines’ final post before death at 58

Shirley Raines, the CEO and founder of the nonprofit Beauty 2 The Streetz who became a social media star, has died at 58, according to a statement on the organization’s social media account.

Newsweek reached out to Beauty 2 The Streetz via email for comment.

Who Was Shirley Raines?

Raines helped underserved and homeless communities in Nevada and California.

A former resident of Southern California, Raines offered beauty services, food, and more to the people of Skid Row through Beauty 2 The Streetz.

After losing her son, she began working with homeless individuals through a different nonprofit, ABC 7 reported. She learned that the women she was helping were also interested in makeup and hair.

“Of course, makeup is not going to take them off the streets, but it’s a small escape from this terrible reality they’re living in,” Raines said, according to ABC 7. “They look in the mirror and see something other than homelessness. It just brings them back to who they were.”

Raines also worked a full-time job, lived in a one-bedroom apartment and spent her spare time cooking meals for up to 600 people a week.

She won CNN’s Hero of the Year award in 2021. “This surely hasn’t been easy. I stand before you today a very broken woman,” Raines said in her acceptance speech.

“I am a mother without a son and there are a lot of people in the streets that are without a mother, and I feel like it’s a fair exchange. I’m here for them,” she said.

What We Know About Shirley Raines’ Cause of Death

Raines’ cause of death was not immediately known to Newsweek or made public by the nonprofit.

In a statement posted to Instagram, the organization said, “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 post continued: “This loss is devastating to the entire Beauty 2 The Streetz team, the communities we serve, and the countless individuals whose lives were forever changed by Ms. Shirley’s love, generosity, and selfless service. Her legacy will continue to live on through the work she started and the hearts she touched. We humbly ask that you keep Ms. Shirley’s family, loved ones, and the Beauty 2 The Streetz family in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time. Further information will be shared as it becomes available.”

Raines’s last post on Beauty 2 The Streetz’s Instagram page was posted on Monday.

In the video, Raines can be seen and heard passing out food from a car and greeting people. The caption of the video says, “Prov 16:24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated when more information is available.