Shirley Raines posted on her Instagram a heartwarming video of her Los Angeles-based organization receiving a large donation from HBO’s recently canceled show, A Black Lady Sketch Show. Boxes of shoes, purses, wigs, lashes, and more were sent to Raines’ nonprofit Beauty 2 The Streetz. Actress Robin Thede, the show’s creator, orchestrated the donation.
Raine’s organization serves the unhoused women of Skid Row. Her Instagram account is full of moments humanizing these women with compassion and meeting their needs for showers, clothing, makeup, and feminine products. People like Raines are doing the work to keep a community alive, and with Thede’s help, she made a massive difference in many lives.
Thede posted the video linked above on her Instagram page, sharing in the caption that she feels Raines is doing life-changing work. She also mentioned that she hopes the pieces go a long way because they are either gently worn or brand new. “It was so important to us that we turn the end of our show into a new beginning for others,”Thede wrote.
This was a monumental moment, especially with the ongoing WGA strike—it showed that humanity is more significant than the glamour of Hollywood. The show’s cancellation came right after its premiere in April 2023 after four successful seasons of Black women-curated comedy. In a statement to Variety, Thede said, “I especially want to recognize the Black women and other women of color who excelled in every department at ABLSS,” she wrote. “I am also eternally grateful for the support of Issa Rae and Jax Media, Amy Gravitt, Casey Bloys, and the entire team at HBO, Max, and Warner Bros. Discovery.”
We hope to see more shows follow in the philanthropic footsteps of Thede and her team. Raine’s Beauty 2 The Streetz deserved that donation, and hopefully many more to come.
For more details on Beauty 2 The Streetz, head to their official site beauty2thestreetz.org.
