College of the Canyons will welcome author and holocaust survivor Leon Malmed for a special presentation and accompanying book signing of his memoir “We Survived… At Last I Speak” on Monday, Oct. 27.

Malmed’s story is one about how triumph of will and perseverance can help overcome almost historically insurmountable odds.

In 1942, Leon and his sister were separated from their parents in occupied France when Malmed was just five-years-old. His parents ultimately perished at the now infamous death camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and he and his sister never saw them again.

Malmed eventually immigrated to the United States in 1964, and would go on to live in New York for the next 18 years.

He went on to hold executive positions with leading tech companies in the Silicon Valley, including SanDisk. He is retired and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation.

Malmed’s memoir has been described as a “narrative of love and courage, set against a backdrop of tragedy, fear, injustice, prejudice and the greatest moral outrage of the modern era.” It was first published in French in 2010, and will soon also be available in Spanish.

Malmed has spoken about his experiences at churches, synagogues, and universities throughout the United States and Europe, and will now bring his story to College of the Canyons.

“College of the Canyons is extremely excited to welcome an esteemed guest such as Mr. Malmed to speak with its students,” said Dr. Patty Robinson, Dean of the Social Sciences and Business Division at College of the Canyons. “As we deal with threats of terror and violence in the present, it’s important to remember how horrific events such as the holocaust have the power to shape history in an intangibly complex and profound way.”

Mr. Malmed will present a special guest lecture at 7:15 p.m. Monday Oct, 27, in the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, Room 258.

Prior to the lecture, Malmed will be available to sign his book at a 6 p.m. reception in the University Center lobby. Both events are free and open to the public.

For more information about Mr. Malmed’s presentation at College of the Canyons, please contact Patty Robinson at (661) 362-3992 or visit www.canyons.edu/offices/foundation.