Team ENOUGH Virginia Lobbying Collective

The Team ENOUGH Virginia Lobbying Collective is part of the only national, youth-led group lobbying for gun reform in America.

We host a series of webinars and leadership training to equip members with the skills to effectively lobby, and then, together, we take our fight to the Virginia State Capitol — virtually! It is our third semester as a lobbying collective with more than 15 members. We’re led by Co-Leads Cameron Kasper and Rivka Vizcardo-Lichter and Legislative Coordinator Felix Hedberg.

Meet the Team ENOUGH Virginia Lobbying Collective Leadership!

Meet the Team ENOUGH Virginia Lobbying Collective Members!

Caroline Garcia (she/they)

Caroline Garcia has been organizing against gun violence since high school and was the lead organizer for Students Demand Action, through which she organized a walkout at her school and co-created a March for Our Lives chapter there. They are passionate about making good and necessary changes for our future and want to learn how to lobby for change and hold important conversations with elected officials. 

Roman Prokop (he/him)

Roman Prokop joined the Virginia Lobbying Collective after an uptick in school shootings and violence. Last year, while his father and he were at a baseball game, there was a shooting outside of the stadium, causing panic amongst the crowd, including Roman and his dad, who had to hide under their seats and lay on the floor out of fear. Roman hopes to contribute his voice and experiences to prevent gun violence and make a lasting difference in his community. 

Roman Sargent

Roman Sargent is a freshman in high school, the class officer of his school’s student government board, and a member of the Committee Raising Student Voices (CORSV). He believes we must push lawmakers to take action and create a concrete plan to reduce gun violence to make our homes, schools, and communities safe again. Roman hopes to learn more about Virginia gun laws and regulations and how federal and local governments can take steps to sensibly regulate firearms.

Sarah Coqueline (Coco) Bentaieb (she/her)

Sarah Coqueline (Coco) attended Liberty University for her undergraduate studies. She has campaigned for gun-safety candidates and has interned for the International Rescue Committee to assist Afghan refugees and advocate for the better treatment of immigrants in the United States. She joined the Team ENOUGH Lobbying Collective to honor those we have lost to gun violence through advocacy and to address its abhorrent ties to hate-motivated violence. As a survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, Coco wants to live in an America where lockdown drills no longer exist, where politicians prioritize people over profit from the NRA, where gun violence is treated as an epidemic, and where safety is no longer a hope, but a reality. She plans to contribute to the Lobbying Collective by humanizing the reality of gun violence and hopes to learn about legal changes and processes that need to be worked on in regard to gun violence prevention.

Rishi Chandra (he/him)

Rishi Chandra is on the leadership team for the Pride Liberation Project, a youth-run LGBTQ+ advocacy group in Virginia, and has participated in lobbying in the past. He organized a school-wide walkout to protest Governor Youngkin’s proposed anti-LGBTQIA+ “Model Transgender Policies”. He joined the Lobbying Collective because he is scared for his safety and the safety of his peers. He wants to help prevent senseless tragedies that arise from gun violence and wants to help tackle gun reform issues at their source. He believes that through the Team ENOUGH Lobbying Collective he, along with many youth, can make an impactful change that will better the lives of all people.

Laura Truong (she/her)

Laura Truong has worked with the Pride Liberation Project (PLP) on youth organizing and policy priorities for the organization. She joined the Lobbying Collective to advocate for the safety of marginalized communities and her peers. Laura hopes to learn about different perspectives on gun violence and the policies to prevent its many forms.

Tyler Willette (she/her)

As a student in Richmond, VA, Tyler Willette joined the Virginia Lobbying Collective to drive action on gun reform, espeically following a spike in high-profile mass shootings in the state. She hopes to contribute skills she has learned over the past few years to provide persuasive and helpful debate with state lawmakers.  

Kristin Nivera (she/her)

Stemming from her concern about future generations and their safety, Kristin Nivera is a passionate gun violence prevention organizer.  She joined the Virginia Lobbying Collective with past lobbying experience in the state and looks forward to growing her skills with linked-minded activists at Team ENOUGH. 

Nikta Sarani (she/her)

Nikta Sarani joined the Virginia Lobbying Collective to spread awareness about gun violence impacting her community, and the solutions to prevent it. She hopes to be a loud, lasting voice throughout the 2023 session while also learning the ins and outs of the Virginia State legislature.

Bora Yoon (she/her)

Bora Yoon is a lead organizer in the Pride Liberation Project and the founder of the Prince William chapter. She joined the Virginia Lobbying Collective because of the uptick in gun violence and the impact is has on youth in America. She hopes to learn more about gun violence prevention policies and what can be done to improve laws and decrease the amount of gun violence in the state.

AJ Bass (they/she)

AJ Bass is a student at Virginia Tech and is especially passionate about the intersection of mental health and gun violence. They are joining Lobbying Collective to make a mark on policy and amplify the youth voice. They hope to bring new and challenging perspectives to the collective and promote equity and inclusion by discussing policy. 

Kevin Martell (he/him)

Kevin Martell is an active member of the gun violence prevention movement and the movement to combat climate change. He joined the Lobbying Collective to create a safer environment for youth and all generations that follow. He feels strongly about gun safety and wants to help make a difference by working with students in the collective, especially since he is not old enough to vote.

Sophia Healey

Sophia Healey has served as the social media coordinator of MissionRed, a menstrual equity organization. Building on past lobbying experience, she joins the Lobbying Collective to work alongside like-minded youth who share her dedication and interest in government and legislation. She is passionate about ending both gun violence and curbing the impacts of domestic abuse. 

Daisy Maxwell (she/her)

Daisy Maxwell has worked with Young Democrats and volunteered with elementary students through the Arlington Housing Corporation. She joins the Lobbying Collective to create change in her community and beyond. She believes this experience will give her the chance to educate both lawmakers and the general public on what can be done to save lives from guns, and let Americans know that our fight will not be silenced. 

Caroline Martell (she/her)

Caroline Martell started a March For Our Lives chapter at her high school after participating in a previous Team ENOUGH Lobbying Collectives. She has organized phone banks, text banks, and lessons on gun violence prevention issues and activism skills. She also serves on the executive board for the Virginia Youth Climate Coalition (VAYCC) and is the director of the Science Research Team for VAYCC. She is dedicated to saving lives and ensuring that no one has to go through the same pain that so many others have had to experience due to gun violence. 

Avabella Oliva (she/her)

Avabella Oliva is part of the Virginia chapter of State of the Students, a bipartisan, youth-led, nonprofit organization were high schoolers interview politicians. She is passionate about gun violence prevention because she has witnessed the intersection of gun violence with mental health, low-income communities, and marginalized communities firsthand. She joins the Lobbying Collective because as a student in the public American educational system, it is difficult for her to see school shootings become common headlines across the nation. She recognizes the significant voice that Team ENOUGH has in the conversation about gun violence and wants an opportunity to get involved with this side of organizing.

Mercedes Romero-Gonzalez (she/her & they/them)

Mercedes Romero-Gonzalez previously worked on Jennifer Kitchen’s campaign for the VA House of Delegates in the 25th district. She has also done advocacy work for national movements, including the Black Lives Matter Movement. She hopes to learn more about the members of the collective and its supporters — as this is what empowers her to stay strong, even in the darkest of times. 

Elijah Jackson (he/him)

Elijah Jackson has worked with the Catholic Heart Work Camp, renovating homes in low-income communities in Richmond. As a member of the Lobbying Collective, he would like to gain skills and knowledge to make a lasting difference in the gun violence prevention movement. He hopes to raise awareness about gun violence and encourage government leaders to protect America’s youth from this raging epidemic.