About Portraits of Courage
Portraits of Courage is our original documentary series, done in collaboration with Bravely Made Media. This series spotlights three community elders and their experiences with healing in the midst of bigotry and discrimination. Check out the video below for a preview!
Meet the Elders
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Chandradhar DwivediChandradhar was born in India and completed his education there, including a Ph.D. degree. He came to Nashville, Tennessee, USA in 1973 at Vanderbilt University as a Postdoctoral Fellow. He joined the faculty of Meharry Medical College in 1976, then moved to Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 1986.
He joined the faculty of South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings in 1987. He rose through the ranks and served SDSU for 26 years. He retired as a Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2013. He was recognized as ‘Teacher of the Year’ and many other awards at SDSU. He mentored many undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty members at SDSU. Chandradhar served in leadership positions in South Dakota World’s Affairs Council, Brookings Interfaith Council and Brookings Human Rights Committee/ Commission. Currently, he is serving as a member of the Board of South Dakota Faith in Public Life. Chandradhar is one of the founding members of the Hindu Temple of Sioux Land, Sioux Falls, SD and serves as a Volunteer Priest and performs various religious services in South Dakota and at a national level. Chandradhar and his wife Prabha live in Sioux Falls and have three children and four grandchildren. |
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Nieema ThasingNieema was born in 1949 in Chicago. She grew up in St. Paul before marrying and moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she attended several places of higher learning, including the University of Minnesota (focused on Sociology), St. Paul Tech, and the Minnesota School of Business. She eventually found her way to South Dakota after a number of years in the Netherlands.
Nieema said, “I am a gal whose mom said I could be or do anything in life so I did try a few careers.” These included being a tapper and drywall finisher, a paramedic, and a field survey conductor for censuses. Nieema is a mother of 20 - two by birth, one by marriage, and 17 by heart. She was a foster parent to 17 young men over a long period of time and now has 14 grandchildren. Nieema has been described as “a community leader, visionary, and a dedicated elder,” and has invested time and dedication into helping her community. She was the first Muslim woman to be a city council member in the state of South Dakota, serving two terms, with one as the Vice President. Nieema is the President of the Brookings League of Women Voters, the President Elect for the South Dakota League of Women Voters, and the first Vice President of the NAACP South Dakota. |
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Nitza RubensteinNitza was born in Honduras before immigrating to Flandreau, South Dakota. A self-proclaimed “dream and peace chaser,” Nitza tirelessly advocates for the Latino community, being a voice for local immigrants by helping them connect with legal support and essential resources.
She is the mother of 3 biological children and 3 adopted children, along with the countless others she considers herself as a mother of “by heart.” |
