How Shirley Raines broke through the noise on TikTok and Instagram and inspired millions

Like many people, Joy Taylor first learned about Shirley Raines and her nonprofit organization Beauty 2 the Streets through social media.

Taylor, who works as a TV, radio and sports personality, was drawn to Raines’ Instagram and TikTok posts detailing her work feeding the hungry and providing free clothing, cosmetics, hair services and hygiene products to the beleaguered Skid Row community in downtown Los Angeles.

“I was looking for a place to volunteer,” Taylor said. “There are so many ways to give back, but I really wanted to stay grounded. I reached out. [Raines] In the DM, I was like, “Can I come and help?” She kindly said yes. So I went to Skid Row, and the experience of working with her is spiritual in a way. ”

A native of Compton, California, Ms. Raines has dedicated her time and energy to serving L.A.’s unhoused communities for nearly a decade. The mother of six was inspired to donate and distribute food and hygiene kits on Skid Row after experiencing homelessness in her youth. Raines, along with volunteers, also did makeup and hair styling for people who hadn’t been to a salon in years.

By livestreaming her efforts on TikTok and Instagram, Raines has amassed 7 million followers, many of whom are drawn not only to her philanthropic efforts but also to her beautiful smile and dynamic personality. Outgoing, easily flattering, and as prone to breaking into dances as handing out groceries or gift cards, Raines dazzled screens and streets.

The love online was so deep that her followers funded her mission, with some even purchasing an abandoned building in Las Vegas to help Raines with the homeless. What started as Raines’ impromptu give-back effort eventually became one of the West Coast’s most beloved charities, Beauty 2 The Streetz.

Through her work, Raines, affectionately known by many as “Ms. Shirley,” was named a 2021 CNN Hero of the Year, named to the 2025 Time100 Creators List, and received the 2025 Outstanding Social Media Personality Award at the NAACP Image Awards Creative Honors.

When Raines, 58, suddenly died of hypertensive heart disease in January, it felt like L.A. had lost a matriarch.

Taylor, who developed a friendship with Raines and eventually became a board member of Beauty 2 the Streets, spoke at a ceremony celebrating Raines’ life.

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“This is a huge, devastating loss,” Taylor said at a service in February. “Her impact on the homeless community is immeasurable, and I want people to see the impact she has had on so many others by helping them heal through service. That’s why she started Beauty 2 the Streets in the first place: to heal from grief.”

Taylor references the accidental death of Raines’ young son in 1990, a tragedy that debilitated and ultimately buoyed Raines. Instead of falling completely into the pit of depression, Raines focused her energy on giving back to those who needed it most and regaining her confidence.

Even when she began working with the homeless community in 2017, Raines recognized that people needed more than just the most basic necessities. When someone gets a much-needed haircut or shampoo, “you see the light come back inside people,” Taylor says. “There’s also a sense of human emotion.”

Most Americans take for granted the ability to take a hot shower or blow dry their hair, Taylor said. When you’re happy with yourself, “it’s reflected in how you treat others, how you feel, how you look, and how motivated you are to work.”

Even though Raines is gone, Beauty 2 the Streets’ mission will continue, Taylor said. The organization continues to address the humanitarian crisis of poverty and homelessness through regular outreach efforts in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, including a recent Mother’s Day Recovery Brunch featuring volunteer estheticians and nail technicians.

Raines will soon receive a new honor and will posthumously serve as LA Pride’s Icon Grand Marshal in June. Her image and story will be featured and heard during this year’s 56th annual parade and festival. LA Pride board president Lawrence Carroll worked with Raines during the pandemic and, like many, felt an instant bond with him.

“She reminded me of family,” Carol says.

When Carol heard of Raines’ death, she took inspiration from her and channeled her pain into action, naming Raines as one of Pride’s top three marshals for 2026, along with attorney and civil rights activist Mia Yamamoto and Emmy Award-winning actor Jeff Hiller.

”[Raines] “Shirley is someone who literally woke up every day and gave of herself to others,” Carol said. “When you talk about service to the community and the world, I start to get emotional about it, because Shirley embodied all of that.” She was so real and so authentic to herself. She saw humanity in people. Just the fact that they called people “kings” and “queens.” We need more Miss Shirley, right? ”

In addition to Raines’ family and philanthropy, Taylor says part of her legacy lies in how she influenced others. Social media can feel like a hoard of wasted time, with feeds full of empty, forgettable content. Meanwhile, Raines used the system for good, recruiting new volunteers and focusing on the needs of people often forgotten by the surrounding city.

“Social media can be a very scary place,” Taylor says. “And people like Shirley used it perfectly to show how dark the world is and how we can bring light into it.”

Carroll sees similarities between Raines’ way of life and his own intention to bring people together through pride.

“No matter how much technology impacts our daily lives, it can never replace human connection,” Carroll says. “We are social creatures by nature, so being able to go out and actually talk to someone, listen to them in real time, see their facial expressions, read their body language, like Shirley, is a really unique opportunity to connect with someone. [It’s something] You can never do that with your device, phone, or social media. ”