We’re looking forward to introducing you to Payal Sawhney. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Payal, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is a balance of service, connection, and reflection.
Each morning begins with gratitude and planning — reviewing ongoing programs, connecting with our dedicated team, and ensuring that the services we provide truly meet the evolving needs of our community. My days are often filled with meetings — with staff, partners, or community members — discussing mental health initiatives, women’s wellness programs, or upcoming cultural events.
But beyond the logistics, much of my day revolves around people — listening to stories, understanding challenges, and finding new ways to bridge gaps. No two days are ever the same; one moment I’m in a strategy meeting, and the next, I’m attending a community event or mentoring a young volunteer who wants to make a difference.
Evenings are usually for reflection — looking back at what worked, what could improve, and how we can continue growing as a team and as a movement. It’s a busy life, but every conversation, every breakthrough, reminds me why this work matters.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Payal Sawhney, and I am the Founding Executive Director of Saahas for Cause, a nonprofit rooted in the belief that every immigrant family deserves culturally competent support, opportunity, and dignity. With over 20 years of experience in mental health practice, social work, and nonprofit leadership, I’ve had the privilege of working across India, New York, Chicago, and now in Southern California, always focusing on holistic care, community empowerment, and innovation.
At Saahas, our work spans four interconnected pillars: Women & Family Wellness, Older Adult Wellness, Youth Empowerment, and Community Outreach & Health Education. We provide therapy, case management, prevention workshops, leadership programs, and health education tailored to the unique cultural, linguistic, and generational needs of the South Asian immigrant community.
What makes Saahas special is our deep understanding of cultural nuance. Many in our community face challenges silently, due to stigma, tradition, language, or fear of being misunderstood. We intentionally build safe spaces where people can be seen for who they are, where healing can happen without judgment, and where cultural identity is honored, not pushed aside. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we pivoted quickly: distributing PPE, organizing vaccine clinics, and hosting support circles on grief, mental health, and domestic violence all while staying true to our core of empathy and trust. One of the things I’m proudest of is how we have turned silence into voice. Our youth-led research, community education, and healing spaces have sparked conversations in homes that once stayed closed. We’ve seen survivors reclaim their narratives, seniors rediscover community, and youth rise into leadership roles, all while our staff and volunteers hold space for vulnerability.
Right now, we’re working to deepen our impact through data-driven programming, building strategic partnerships, and scaling sustainable supports so that more families don’t just survive but thrive. We dream of a future where resources, healing, and belonging aren’t privileges they’re the foundation of every immigrant’s journey.
I’m honored for the opportunity to share this space with your readers. Together, we can shine light on stories that matter and build bridges that last.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told us who we had to be, Saahas for Cause was simply an idea, a spark born from compassion and a desire to help. We were a small group of people who saw the quiet struggles of South Asian immigrants, women silenced by fear, elders battling loneliness, youth torn between two cultures — and felt a deep urge to stand beside them. There was no roadmap then, no big funding or recognition. Just empathy, courage, and the belief that healing starts when someone listens.
Before we became an organization with programs and partnerships, we were a movement of hearts, trying to make sense of pain and turn it into purpose. The world has since given us structure, recognition, and expectations, but at our core, we are still that people helping people, creating safe spaces where every story matters, and every voice finds its strength.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes. there were moments when the journey felt too heavy to carry. When Saahas for Cause began, we faced countless challenges, limited resources, cultural stigma, and the emotional weight of the stories we carried. There were times when the pain in our community felt overwhelming, when helping others heal meant holding space for trauma, silence, and heartbreak that stretched far beyond what one organization could fix.
During the early days, we struggled to earn trust. Many women hesitated to seek help, fearing judgment or shame. There were moments when doors didn’t open, funding didn’t come, and progress felt painfully slow. Those were the times it would have been easy to step back. But every time we thought about stopping, a survivor’s courage, a volunteer’s commitment, or a family’s gratitude reminded us why we started. One phone call from someone saying, “You saved my life,” or a young person finding their voice through our programs, that was enough to keep us going.
So yes, we almost gave up, but compassion, community, and courage wouldn’t let us. Today, those difficult moments are the foundation of our strength. They taught us that every challenge is a chance to recommit to the cause, to lead with heart, and to believe that even small acts of service can change lives.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
For many of us at Saahas for Cause, there was a time we believed that one could never truly thrive outside their hometown, that fulfillment, identity, and belonging only existed where our roots began. Coming from India to Los Angeles County, many of us carried that quiet fear of losing our culture, of being misunderstood, of never quite feeling “at home” again. But over time, we learned that home is not a place, it’s a feeling built through connection, care, and community. Through our work with South Asian immigrants, we’ve seen people rebuild their sense of belonging from scratch: women finding strength after starting over, youth embracing both cultures with pride, and families creating new traditions that honor their old ones.
What once felt naive… the belief that we could only belong “back home”… has transformed into a deeper truth: we can belong anywhere we choose to nurture love, courage, and purpose. Saahas itself is proof of that. It was born far from our original homes, yet it carries every bit of our culture, heart, and resilience.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
At Saahas for Cause, we understand deeply that healing isn’t always loud, and strength doesn’t always look like success. Many people think thriving means moving forward quickly, speaking up boldly, or leaving the past behind. But in our work, we’ve learned that healing often begins in silence — in the small, unseen moments when someone finally feels safe enough to breathe, cry, or speak their truth for the first time.
We understand that cultural identity, family ties, and community expectations can be both anchors and barriers. That someone can love their culture deeply and still struggle within it. That empowerment isn’t about asking people to abandon who they are, but about helping them stand tall within their identity. Most people see service as “helping others.” We’ve come to see it as walking beside others, listening without judgment, holding space, and letting them rediscover their voice at their own pace. We understand that real change happens slowly, heart by heart, and that’s okay.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://saahasforcause.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saahasforcause?igsh=MTYwczZ2dG01cDhlag==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saahas-for-cause/?viewAsMember=true
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saahasfc
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@saahasforcause?si=5A3ravNHm3lUmZTn
