Diana Garlington fondly recalls the last Thanksgiving she spent with her daughter, Esscence T. Christal. "We laughed, danced, reminisced & ended with taking our family photo. She clung tightly to my arm and insisted on sitting on my lap for what would be unreadily our last time.” 
The following day, Esscence was killed in a drive-by shooting, leaving behind a young son. She was just 21. The pain of Esscence’s death is worsened by the fact that her case remains unsolved. “Since her demise, she has been left in a file and given a number,” Diana said.
In the 3,431 days that Diana has gone without answers about Esscence’s killing, she has worked with organizations such as RI Coalition Against Gun Violence, One Gun Gone, and Moms Demand Action to support gun violence survivors.
Diana also founded Safer Communities for Justice, an organization which encourages local community members to push for more state funding dedicated to closing over 130 unsolved homicides in Providence, RI.
“I am not going to stand back and accept it. I was not able to save Esscence before she was killed but now I am my daughter's voice and it is my mission and purpose to make sure this doesn’t happen to others, and if it does, to help them,” Diana said.
Throughout National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 18-24, we will be saying the names and shining a light on the stories of Americans like Esscence whose deaths by gun violence remain unsolved.
Read Diana’s #MomentsThatSurvive story, say Esscence’s name—Esscence T. Christal—and share her story with your friends and followers. momentsthatsurvive.org/tribute/diana-…
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