Abolition Institute Co-Founder Leads

An experienced campaign leader for both elections and advocacy initiatives, Sean Tenner has served as president of Chicago’s KNI Communications since 2008. A seasoned leader in the nonprofit sector, Sean Tenner is also the co-founder of the Abolition Institute.

The Abolition Institute is dedicated to fighting slavery in Mauritania, West Africa. Slavery has only been officially illegal in the country since 2007, and the practice remains prevalent there today.

Mr. Tenner’s passion for ending slavery in Mauritania took him to the country in 2021. He met with government officials to address the issue directly. Joining him on the trip were Chicago-area government leaders Rory Hoskins (mayor of Forest Park) and Anthony Simpkins (official with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development). The Mauritania group also included human rights advocates such as attorney Michael Kurtz, educators such as University of Chicago associate provost Aisha El-Amin, and artists such as music producer Jon Jon Traxx.

Six Candidates Considered for Illinois

Chicago resident Sean Tenner draws on more than two decades of experience supporting political campaigns and causes. He has served as the president of KNI communications, a Chicago-based consulting firm that assists nonprofit organizations, foundations, and electoral and issue advocacy campaigns, since 2008. In this capacity, Sean Tenner has been extensively involved in public affairs and issue advocacy across Chicago and in other areas of the United States.

In January 2021, the Illinois Senate's 7th District seat suddenly became vacant as the former State Senator, Heather Steans, announced her retirement. Prior to retirement, Senator Steans was re-elected to the seat in November. She had served as a democratic member for 12 years.

According to Illinois law, the District's Democratic Committeepeople - including Tenner who serves as 46th Ward Democratic Committeeperson - are charged with making an appointment to the open office for the remainder of the term. Six residents of the district - all Democrats - applied for appointment to the seat; State Representative Kelly Cassidy, Joseph Struck, Michael Simmons, Joseph Alfe, Angela Giles, and Justin Koziatek. The group of Committeepeople hosted numerous community forums, meetings and interviews and eventually selected Michael Simmons as the District's new State Senator.

About KNI Communications' BCSA

An accomplished Chicago communication executive, Sean Tenner has worked in the political, issue advocacy, and charitable areas for over two decades. For more than 12 years, Sean Tenner has provided several nonprofits, foundations, and electoral campaigns with support through his position as the president of KNI communications.

For decades, KNI Communications has served crucial roles in the areas of communications, public affairs, issue advocacy, and business promotion. From campaigns involving the courthouse to the White House, the organization has helped win numerous elections, and also led the charge for public policy change regarding numerous critical issues, among which is breast cancer screening.

KNI Communications has led the effort to pass key pieces of breast cancer legislation. The four pieces of legislation passed are:

1. Insurance coverage of breast cancer screenings as recommended by physicians.

2. Insurance coverage of medical costs of cancer clinical trials.

3. Establishment of cancer awareness and prevention programs.

4. State standards and insurance coverage for clinical breast exams that can save lives.

Obama Legacy Initiative - a Legacy

 

In the past 20 years Sean Tenner - the founder and president of KNI Communications in Chicago - has actively worked for the successful election of Democrats at every level of the US government. Currently serving as the 46th Ward Democratic Committeeman, He is a former member of President Obama’s campaign staff during the US Senate and Presidential elections, Sean Tenner now serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Obama Legacy Initiative (OLI).

Founded in 2016, OLI is a non-profit organization dedicated to putting an end to food insecurity throughout the US. Its core mission is to honor the legacy of the President and First Lady by continuing their White House initiatives related to urban gardens and increasing healthy eating literacy.

To that end, OLI has created several channels for producing, receiving, and delivering fresh produce to food pantries in challenged areas. These include OLI’s garden, community gardens, and donations from individuals with a surplus in produce from their own gardens.

In addition, OLI promotes sustainable living, healthy eating, and cooking homemade food with local ingredients by organizing a series of events and video and in-person training.

Human Rights Watch Addresses Slavery

A political election and advocacy campaign leader, Sean Tenner has served as president of Chicago’s KNI Communications for more than 12 years. Sean Tenner has a history of involvement in the fight against slavery in the African nation of Mauritania.

When it abolished slavery in 1981, the Mauritanian government became the last country in the world to do so. Unfortunately, the country has done far too little to put a stop to slavery since that official declaration.

In response to Mauritania’s ongoing tolerance of slavery, the global human rights watchdog organization Human Rights Watch recently addressed the issue in its February submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. This submission criticized Mauritania’s failure to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Among its other stated grievances, the submission pointed out that individuals of all ages from the longstanding slave castes within Mauritania’s Afro-Mauritanian and Haratine populations still live under traditional slavery practices, such as forced labor without pay. These farm and house slaves, particularly those who are female, are at an incredibly high risk of sexual abuse and rape.

Human Rights Watch asks that the Mauritanian government identify viable procedures and strategies to accurately determine how many of its citizens are living under slavery and slavery-like conditions. Furthermore, it demands clear federal legislative efforts to combat slavery in Mauritania.

US State Department Awards Millions to Fight Slavery in West Africa

The president of Chicago’s KNI Communications, Sean Tenner earned his degree cum laude in American government from Georgetown University. Sean Tenner founded KNI Communications in Chicago to assist in electoral and advocacy issues, where he has been successful in securing public funding to help victims of slavery in Mauritania, West Africa.

The US State Department, in a bipartisan effort, granted $4.5 million to help victims of slavery in Mauritania, where estimates state that 10 percent to 20 percent of the population is enslaved. While the practice was officially abolished in 1981 and criminalized in 2007, Mauritania government officials have refused to acknowledge that slavery still exists within its borders, much less made efforts to eliminate it. Despite the illegality of slave ownership, the government does not bring slave owners to justice.

The US State Department funding is helping people in Mauritania acquire freedom, self-sufficiency and dignity. . For more information, see The Abolition Institute website at www.stoppingslavery.org. 

Recent Successful Political Campaigns by KNI Communications

As president of Chicago’s KNI Communications, Sean Tenner oversees the strategic development of public messages for dissemination in both traditional media, such as television and radio, and digital media, such as email and social media. Under Sean Tenner’s leadership, KNI has contributed to the winning campaigns of numerous politicians.

Recent achievements by KNI include consulting on Cam Davis’ successful 2018 bid for commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The former Great Lakes protection head for the Obama administration, Mr. Davis beat an Illinois record for write-in votes that president Franklin Delano Roosevelt previously held.

In 2020, KNI garnered a number of judicial primary victories for clients such as appellate justice Michael Hyman, Judge-elect Jill Rose Quinn, and Judge Teresa Molina. With these wins, Ms. Quinn became the first openly transgender judge in the history of Illinois, and Ms. Molina won by the largest voting margin of any judicial candidate in Cook County.