Lizzo broke down in tears as she mourned the death of homeless activist Shirley “Ms. Shirley” Raines.
“Shirley Raines, the founder of Beauty2theStreetz, an amazing woman, and a community leader, passed away last night,” the “Good as Hell” singer, real name Melissa Jefferson, said in a video she shared to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.
“I’m devastated. If any of you know about my Juneteenth gift bag, Shirley has always been a part of it every year,” she added.
Lizzo, 37, said she often donates her bulk clothes to Raines’ nonprofit, Beauty 2 the Streets, which provides hair, makeup, hygiene products and food to those in need.
“I had a lot of clothes and I saw her going to Skid Row and going to homeless communities and seeing her beautify the community,” the pop star said.
“She helped them feel noticed. She gave them makeovers, haircuts, and clothes to help them feel beautiful. And she used to joke, ‘Girls, everyone get dressed. I put on a Lizzo coat.'”
The Grammy Award winner even asked her shapewear line, YITTY, to donate to Reigns’ cause, which helps plus-size women feel confident.
“She said, ‘You’ve made these plus-size girls so happy, they feel so good,'” Lizzo recalled.
The flautist, who was hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit in 2023, said Ms. Raines supported her when “the world was against me.”
“She was like, ‘Keep encouraging me.’ She was always sending me messages of love, but never asking for anything in return,” Lizzo said.
“People like her are rare and special and deserve to be protected and respected, and we are so grateful that we were able to send her flowers while she was here.”
Lizzo ended her emotional message by wiping away tears and expressing how much she will miss Reigns.
“She overserved the underserved and helped marginalized people feel important,” she said.
“Shirley, we will miss you and we will need you. We are so sad that you are gone.”
Raines was found dead at her home in Henderson, Nevada, on Tuesday when her daughter called authorities for a welfare check. She was 58 years old.
Raines’ daughter told People that her mother was “unresponsive” next to her bed and there were “no visible signs” that would explain the activist’s death.
The cause of death has not yet been determined.
The mother of six has amassed millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok by regularly sharing videos of herself delivering supplies and food to people in need.
