A daughter of two doctors from India, Payal Sud gravitated towards a career that would allow her to help people. Her path to social work came through her original interest in physical therapy and her experience of working with kids with disabilities. In order to graduate from University of Illinois-Chicago, Payal needed to fulfill requirements and chose to take social work classes. It made sense to continue her education in social work, and Payal earned her Masters of Social Work from Loyola University in 2003.

 

Having the experience of growing up as a first generation child motivated Payal to give back to the Indian community. Payal grew up with Indian culture as well as American culture, which made her feel different from her peers. Cultural norms for Indian families are different from those of American families, and Payal is aware that many people struggle to find a balance of embracing their culture while navigating day-to-day life in a mainstream culture.

 

Sud recalls, “I felt different. My parents are from India, I am from here. There’s a big struggle. Being nineteen and having a curfew at midnight was one of the things my friends didn’t have to go through.”

 

In a short period of time, three students from a local high school committed suicide because they were Indian and felt the pressure of excelling in school. Sud immediately felt she had to contribute to a much-needed conversation on living between cultures and the impact of different pressures. Out of a tragedy, Generations Empowered was created to provide counseling for clients who are seeking space to openly speak their ethnic identities and the direct/indirect impacts of growing up within multiple cultures.

 

Sud’s vision for Generations Empowered is to provide counseling for those who are unable to afford it. Generations Empowered would expand its services by helping people navigate day-to-day, providing case management, and opening a chat room and help line. Sud also wishes to have a place for people socialize with others who can identify with their experiences.  

 

Payal Sud confidently reminds people, “It's okay to create your culture. You can put your cultures together, you don’t have to choose one over the other.”