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Mourning the Passing of Malcolm Margolin
October 27, 1940–August 20, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we mark the passing of Malcolm Margolin, founder of The California Institute for Community, Art & Nature and of Heyday Books, extraordinary and visionary historian, publisher, and author. Read more
The California Institute for Community, Art, and Nature (California I CAN) was launched in 2016 by Malcolm Margolin shortly after his retirement from the venerable publishing house he founded in 1974, Heyday Books. California I CAN has a solid foundation in the thoughtful friendships and working relationships Malcolm developed over time with writers, artists, activists, California Indians, and people at the core of political and economic power, as well as those from California’s most marginalized communities. We strive to create a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient society through a deep understanding and love of the cultural and natural heritage of our state.
While we take our work seriously, joy, playfulness, generosity, community involvement, and a belief in the transformative powers of beauty permeate everything we do. Our core programs focus on three areas:
- Working with the native communities of California on issues of political sovereignty and cultural survival
- Understanding and maintaining Berkeley as a center of cultural and social innovation
- Exploring the powerful connection between nature—place—and the arts, and the role they play in invigorating the social imagination.
Our recognition of beauty and our determination to share it with others in central to our mission.
Please join our California I CAN mailing list to receive program and schedule updates and information.
OUR CORE PROGRAMS:
California Indian
Center for Berkeley Studies
Art & The Environment
Creative Partnerships
