Yorel Lashley

Yorel Lashley is the Director of Programs for PLACE and the Director of Student Empowerment for the Center for Arts Education and Social and Emotional Learning. He is a developmental psychologist interested in self-efficacy and social-emotional learning in arts, academics, and integrated environments and is the Founder/Director of Drum Power. Drum Power uses learning West African Traditional, Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Cuban percussion to help young people develop and practice social-emotional skills—discipline, community, and leadership. The program has supported more than 3,900 young people from New York City, Denver, and Madison, Wisconsin to date. Lashley, who also provides professional development, created the Relationships First framework for building and maintaining healthy classroom culture, fully integrating academic content with social-emotional learning. Yorel is also a professional musician who trained with the Kankouran West African Dance Company in Washington, DC, and the Harbor Conservatory for the performing arts in Spanish Harlem and led bands in New York City.