Based in Chicago, Sean Tenner has spent nearly 15 years as the president of KNI Communications, a communications firm that provides support to charities, foundations, and advocacy campaigns. In addition to his various winning political campaign efforts at KNI, Sean Tenner is the co-founder of The Abolition Institute.
The Abolition Institute was established with an objective of resisting modern slavery activities, specifically slavery in Mauritania, a nation in West Africa. In 2021 the Chicago-based nonprofit sponsored a U.S. State Department-funded journey to the West African nation. The party consisted of 15 Americans passionate about supporting efforts to end slavery in Mauritania at once. Senator Dick Durbin played a key role in securing in excess of $5 million in funding for The Abolition Institute, along with several additional programs centered on anti-slavery efforts in Mauritania.
The nation’s history of slavery, defined by the Bidhan or white moors’ oppression of the Haratine, or black moors, dates back to the eighth century. The country formally abolished slavery in 1981, but only criminalized the act in 2007. However, many politicians and law enforcement professionals remain lax when it comes to enforcing antislavery laws, with 90,000 or more Haratines still living as slaves.
The Abolition Institute trip to Mauritania in 2021 involved meetings with a number of anti-slavery leaders. With the help of translators, members of the party also had the opportunity to speak with ex-slaves.
