Asher Jael is a community developer, activist, and yoga teacher. He completed his BA and MA in Peace and Development at Leeds Beckett University. His scholarly focuses are critical race theory, cultural studies, and social discourse. He disseminates his research through narrative analysis and prognostic critiques. As a practitioner his focus is community development, community arts, social justice and yoga pedagogy.  He currently has a community project called Free Yoga which seeks to improve the accessibility of yoga for marginalised communities in Leeds.

Asher has worked as an action researcher and community developer on a series of high-profile projects and organisations across UK, Malawi and Ghana. These include Remember Oluwale, The World Reimagined, East Street Arts, International Service, Season for Change, Eclipse Theatre, Together for Peace, Ignite Yorkshire and Climate Action Leeds. Asher seeks to complete further research examining decolonisation, community development and yoga pedagogy. Alongside this, he would like to expand his project Free Yoga to deliver trauma sensitive yoga and be accredited by the National Health Service. Outside of his professional career, Asher is recognised for his distinct classical guitar playing and poetry, which is inspired by west African cultural heritage.

Asher will be contributing to Workshop 3.