
Andy Reynolds was the 5th President of SIETAR USA. We have had three male Presidents and Andy was the first. He was also the first of three African Americans who have been President of SIETAR USA. Andy’s connection to both intercultural and diversity created a bridge that is significant within SIETAR USA. If you did not know Andy, this special issue of The Interculturalist: A Periodical of SIETAR USA will help you get to know what an unusual person he was, something about his contributions to our Society and to the world, and what he meant to people who knew him. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. His broad shoulders, equally broad smile, and his fierce support of diversity, equity, and inclusion provided a foundation within SIETAR USA for all of us to be the best we can be.
Sandra M. Fowler, Editor

ODE TO ANDY REYNOLDS
Andy died on February 7th after a 14-month battle with blood cancer. During those 14 months, we were grateful for each day and each other. Few couples get the opportunity to say goodbye the way we did. People have described Andy as committed, loyal, smart, curious, warm, inclusive, encouraging of others, a great hugger, a great laugh, a great cook, and an outstanding photographer. Those things are true. But he was much more than those things.
In our 39 years together, he taught me that unconditional love was possible to both give and receive. Together, we traveled to over 40 countries and he connected with other people in every one of those countries, coming away with insights and blessings that I, in my introversion, would never have received on my own. Andy had an immeasurable love of life. He loved people, he loved learning, and he reveled in every new person he met. He cared deeply about both racism and virtually every other ism—he fully understood that if one person is not accepted, then none of us can be accepted, and he worked hard to create a world that demonstrated the value of inclusion. His work and membership in SIETAR were part of that commitment.
Andy accepted both his illness and his death with the same grace, patience, and humor with which he lived his life. Andy frequently said that he intended to live fully until he couldn’t anymore and that is exactly what he did. He talked, listened, and laughed with friends up to the day before he died. Thanks to each of you for your loving sustenance as we say goodbye to his physical presence. Andy will continue to live through each of us who carry on his commitment to social justice.
Donna Stringer, February 19, 2021

Andy and Donna
ANDREW BUCHANAN REYNOLDS
June 29, 1939 – February 7, 2021
Andrew (Andy) Reynolds passed away on Sunday, February 7, 2021 after a 14-month battle with cancer. Andy grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as the only child of Florence and Andrew Reynolds, both deceased.
Following high school graduation, Andy went to college in Lincoln University, an HBCU in PA. He returned to Winston-Salem to participate in the early Civil Rights Movement, being an observer at the first sit-ins in Greeneville, NC. After public involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and leadership in the Congress on Racial Equality, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent the next two years at Fort Lewis in Washington. His assignment was in the medical corps.
Following discharge from the Army, Andy returned to NC where he helped establish the Advancement School, a private school aimed at serving low-income youth of color. Shortly after beginning some experimental educational ideas, he was transferred to Philadelphia to work in education. In the early 1970s, Andy attended the first class of the Columbia Journalism School program designed to recruit people of color into journalism. His first assignment was in Philadelphia where KING5 TV recruited him to come to Seattle.
After leaving television, Andy worked for the Seattle Opportunity Industrialization Center, and Seattle Parks Department. In 1982, he joined his wife, Donna Stringer, Linda Taylor, and Elmer Dixon as business partners in Executive Diversity Services, a diversity consulting business where he worked until retiring in 2008.
In his four-plus decades in Seattle, Andy was dedicated to the community, serving on the boards of the UW EOP program, NW Aids Foundation, the Washington Lottery Commission, and the Seattle-Limbe Sister City Association. Andy was in the first class of Seattle’s Leadership Tomorrow and helped establish the LT newsletter. He served as President of the Mount Baker Community Center for three years and as President of the U.S. Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research for two years. He was the recipient of numerous leadership awards.
Andy is survived by Donna Stringer, his wife and partner of 39 years; and stepsons, Scott (Tomoko) Moore, Mark (Barbara) Moore, David Moore, and Sebastian Benbow. He leaves five grandchildren and eight grandchildren.
Memorial services will be scheduled for the spring or summer of 2021. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be given to commonpower.org, rainierscholars.org, or socialjusticefund.org.
FROM DIANNE HOFNER SAPHIERE
“Weaving Strength Through Differences”
Andy Reynolds is one of those rare people who is one in a generation. He dedicated his life to building social justice and was the embodiment of what he believed; he walked the talk, loved without prejudice or hesitation, and was always ready with a joke, a smile, and words of wisdom. A seat at his and Donna’s dinner table was a delight for the soul. He was a true Renaissance man as well as a fellow photographer–I greatly admired Andy's work. I will miss him greatly as a friend and colleague. I mourn his passing as I can imagine the hole it leaves in the life of my beloved friend, Donna. I know he is out of pain and centered in love and joy, both of which he left us with loads.
I enclose two photos. The first picture pains me deeply, as I am “last one standing” between Andy and Kyoung-Ah. The second picture was taken at Andy’s dinner table, of this incredible couple that I have been privileged to know and call friends.
Andy, Dianne, and Kyoung-Ah

Andy and Donna
FROM JANET BENNETT
Our intercultural community lost a pioneer this month when Andy Reynolds passed away. As a SIETAR member, leader, and educator, he brought wisdom to our mission; Andy has truly been around the block.
From the early days of the organization, he had a commitment that would not quit. His resume is long and complex, with a list of accomplishments that reflect the depth and breadth of the field.
But this note is not that list. Instead, this is an expression of gratitude to Andy for being Andy. It is not merely what you know that makes you an interculturalist, it is who you are. A friend—not in this field—viewed Andy’s photo, exclaiming “You can just tell, this man has integrity!” It is who he is. His partner in life, Donna Stringer, will continue their work, bringing her own integrity to their joint commitments.
And, Andy, thank you for all your hard-earned insights. We honor your ideas, risk-taking, and, especially, your authenticity.
With respect,
Janet Bennett, Ph.D.

Andy at Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL
FROM CHRIS CARTWRIGHT
Andy Reynolds was such an amazing educator, mentor, and soul; we are all so fortunate to have met and worked with him. I can vividly recall him rolling into the ICI Offices, the SIIC campus, or a SIETAR conference hotel and immediately knowing that we were all in for 'some good trouble.' Andy had the ability to make everyone feel welcome and respected; he could guide you to understanding complex issues and then feel the emotional impact of that learning deeply; he could take you and your fellow learners to some seriously high learning edges, hold you there long enough to fully digest the full context of the challenge, and assure you that you could and would step-off that edge and not only survive - but thrive. Finally, after being on the edge of your seat with anticipation and alertness - he'd throw you a look and a zinger and the tension would break - a massive bellow of laughter would erupt from within him and you. Learning from Andy was transformational... and a Hell of a lot of fun!
I have reflected often over the past 10 days over what I've observed over 20 years of knowing and working with Andy. We rarely have the opportunity to meet—let alone work and befriend a person with such drive and commitment to do the hard work of intercultural diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the same time, Andy had a great joy in the people he met, the beauty of nature, the foods he ate, the music he listened to and he freely shared all of this joy with everyone he met. He was and is the perfect example of the yin and yang of work and joy; tension and release; truth and love. For that, I say thank you.
FROM LEE GARDENSWARTZ AND ANITA ROWE
Andy was one of the most courageous people we know, and his life was a testimony to love, laughter and learning. He never hesitated to teach or make a point, but he was always loving and kind in the delivery. Ever the questioning journalist, he always asked probing questions, turned ideas on their heads, and took discussions to a deeper level. Whenever we talked with him, we knew we’d leave enlightened and enhanced. He was a respected colleague, wonderful playmate, and powerful teacher. And he walked the talk, both in his love for Donna and his steadfast commitment to social justice and equity. We are among the many who will miss him greatly and who are at the same time immensely grateful for having known him. May his legacy inspire others to continue the work.

Donna, Andy, Lee, and Anita
FROM MIKI YAMASHITA
Dearest Andy and Donna,
Every year I looked forward to seeing Andy's smiling face at SIIC. I felt that SIIC started with Andy's smile. My impression of Andy was that of both a very fine person and a father figure. Since I was working as a staff member at SIIC, every year Andy would ask me for a rental car. He always chose a larger, luxurious car. Even now, I can picture Andy driving a nice, big car at SIIC in Forest Grove. I was happy to have the opportunity to talk to Andy by providing this help.
I am deeply saddened by Andy's passing. It must be very painful for Donna and the rest of their family. My father also passed away about 10 years ago, but I have continued to talk to him; and now, even though I can't see him, I always know that he is here for me. So, I believe that Andy will always be with Donna and their family. When I see a nice, big car, I will remember Andy riding in it with a smile on his face, parking on the beautiful green campus of Forest Grove.
And now that I am serving as an educator at a university in Japan, I would like to honor Andy's impact on American society and the field of intercultural communication.
Andy has also been an inspiration to many SIIC participants who have come from abroad to study at SIIC. As an educator, I would like to pass on what I have learned from Andy to my students.
My heart goes out to you.
With much love and hugs,
Miki Yamashita
FROM KAREN LOKKESMOE
As I reflect on memories of Andy Reynolds, most are tied to SIIC and his tenure as President of SIETAR USA. His scholarship, practice, and contributions to the field are legion, but I leave that to others to mention. I remember Andy as one of the most caring, welcoming people I have ever met. There was a warmth about him that always made the space around him feel safe.
One of my first memories was of him conducting Star Power at an evening session at SIIC. It was my first encounter with the simulation and there were over 100 people participating. He was brilliant, of course; and I was so impressed by the seeming ease with which he led us through the activity; he challenged us to engage, and caringly and wisely debriefed the session to crystalize the insights gained; he demonstrated how we too might use this tool to enhance intercultural competence in our students, trainees, colleagues, especially around how power and privilege are so insidious and always present. His passing is a loss of such magnitude and I extend my deepest sympathies to Donna and all his family. I feel fortunate to have known him and to have been able to count him as a colleague.
FROM ANN MARIE LEI
My favorite memories with Andy involve sharing meals together; in a hotel restaurant at a SIETAR USA conference; round the dining room table at my house with boxes of pizza, salads, and red wine; and the very best, around a tiny table in Chris Cartwright’s garden in Portland, Oregon, enjoying plates piled with fresh veggies and salmon, catching up on the past year since the last Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. Sometimes we talked about work—a little—but mostly we shared stories about our families, health challenges, travels, and—most impressively—Andy’s commitment to his regular workout and weightlifting routines. I looked so forward to these opportunities and will miss being greeted by Andy’s big smile, hearty laugh, and huge heart.

Ann Marie and Andy
FROM KATHERINE KING
May he rest in peace knowing that his shoulders are big enough to stand on, and stand on them we will. He and Donna taught so many of us so much that we carry with us today in this important work.
I often introduce his key question: “Does the difference make a difference?” and think, “What would Andy & Donna do?” when I am challenged in the work.
He was a pioneer. The world lost a force for good and social justice on February 7th, but he will forever live in every training program we deliver, every coaching program we facilitate. He planted seeds that we must now attend so that they grow exponentially.
Thank you, Andy and Donna, you two. Oh Donna, my deepest sympathies to you and all of his loved ones as you face the unimaginable. His legacy lives on in so many. May you find peace along this next part of the path.
With love and gratitude, Katherine King
FROM RICHARD HARRIS
I find that it is impossible for me to think or write of Andy in the past tense, as for me and so many others he is and always will be a living presence. A man of such wisdom, generosity, humour, and empathy, he continues to inspire others with his example of someone dedicated, above all, to love and service. I think of the words of Rumi, written 800 years ago: “When for the last time you close your mouth, your words and soul will belong to the world of no place and no time.” Andy’s soul, his legacy, is immortal.

Andy reading White Fragility
FROM SUE SHINOMIYA
Andy, you will be missed. Your physical body may have left us, but our fond memories of you will always be a part of our lives. I will always think of Andy as I knew him at the Summer Institute of Intercultural Communication (SIIC), back at Pacific University, where in spite of his Senior Faculty status, you could often find him sitting comfortably on the sofa in the common area, welcoming all who came by like family - with the warmest hugs, most challenging questions, most wide-ranging true-life stories, and most spot-on words of wisdom.
Rest in Peace and Rest in Power, Andy.
FROM THE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS INSTITUTE (ICI)
All the related fields of intercultural, diversity/inclusion, race relations, training, and education, have strong ties in this organization. All have lost a grandfather with the passing of Andy Reynolds. He was a long time SIETAR leader, trainer, and the Intercultural Communication Institutes’ (ICI) Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication (SIIC) educator. He would always have an American hug for those he knew well (who also liked hugs) and a culturally-appropriate greeting, hand-shake, or bow for those he was just meeting. ICI and SIIC staff always loved having the SEATTLE Contingent arrive, as we would get wonderful greetings, often a food treat, and, even better, a first look at his amazing photo cards.
His professionalism, his kind spirit, and friendly words of advice and wisdom were all treasured by the staff. He will be greatly missed.
Sandra, Kent, Franki, Elsa, Lori, Steven, Antimo, Miki, Chris, Melissa, Mike, Jody, and many more



Thank you to ICI, Janet Bennett, and Sandy Garrison for the following photos of Andy at SIIC over the years.
FROM ROBERT HAYLES
A Great and Good Warrior King
Like a great and good warrior Andy battled skillfully for justice. He stood by others who sought justice and stood up for those less able to do so. Andy stood tall and strong as he sometimes led the charge and sometimes engaged side by side. In really tough situations, where we seemed to be outnumbered and surrounded, we could trust him to stand back-to-back with us. You could count on him. He was worthy. Like a great and good king, he was filled with compassion. He brought us joy. He pulled us together, especially when we were far apart. He ruled with strength and goodness seeking unity across many divides and differences. While he exuded healthy power, he was also filled with love…which he shared generously. As a great and good warrior king, may he rest in justice, unity, and love. Somehow resting in peace does not feel like Andy.
With Love, Respect, and Appreciation,
Robert Hayles

Andy and Peggy Pusch
FROM SANDY FOWLER
When Peggy Pusch said that she thought Andy Reynolds would make a good SIETAR USA President, she was right. We welcomed his experience, kind humor, and leadership qualities. At the end of Andy’s term of office, he gave each Board member one of his photo cards—a card with a photograph he had taken that he connected with the person. My photograph was a dock and it was spot on. My late husband liked to talk about “pushing off from the dock” which meant taking a chance, being prepared, and—when the time comes—moving forward. Andy’s photograph spoke to me of the many times this had happened in my life. Times when you aren’t sure exactly what will happen, but you decide it’s what you want or need to do—and you do it. Those of us with experiences in cultures other than our home culture know that feeling well. I am sure as a pioneer in Equal Opportunity (as we used to call it) Andy had many, many of those experiences. He learned from them and passed on that learning. I remember during a long-ago conversation with Andy when he asked me who should be the U.S. presidential nominee. When I said that I thought it should be Barack Obama. I was surprised that he was so surprised that I wasn’t supporting Hillary. It was a good aha! moment for each of us and led to an interesting exchange of ideas. Like so many others, I loved Andy for all that he was. Rest in peace, dear friend.
