Beloved family pillar, community activist, and retired social worker, lawyer, and adjudicator, Cornelia Arevalo Soberano passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 30, 2020, at Northern Nevada Medical Center in Sparks, Nevada.  She was 68 years old.  

She lovingly leaves behind her best friend, favourite debate opponent, and husband, Lucas “Luc” Bruno, of New Orleans, Louisiana, dear siblings and in-laws Nestor & Divina of Visalia, California, Barbara & Eliseo of Toronto, Canada, Isidoro & Marcelina of Manassas, Virginia, and Manuel & Enrita of Reno, Nevada, and the many nieces and nephews scattered throughout the world to whom she was surrogate mother and guiding light. 

Born to Sinforiano Alnas and Isabel Arevalo in Asingan, Pangasinan, the Philippines, “Baby” learned compassion, empathy, and advocacy at a young age, raised in a family that always shared the little it had to help fellow townsfolk in need.  So the seed was sown for a lifelong social justice fighter who credited her parents for instilling in her that unrelenting will to make things right. 

Schooling was in tandem with constant employment to contribute to the family’s income.  In her teen years, Cornelia sold artisan wares in the markets of Baguio City.  In Manila, she completed a diploma in accounting at the Philippine College of Commerce and worked in the city’s administrative offices. 

In 1975, opportunity in the import-export business brought Cornelia and brother Nestor to Niagara Falls, Canada.  Father Sinforiano’s death in 1977 was a heartbreaking event that compelled the pair to initiate the Soberano family’s story of migration to North America for the decade to follow.  Once her mother and brothers were settled in the U.S.A., Cornelia made the bold decision to remain in Canada and facilitate the 1986 arrival of sister Barbara and family. 

The sudden independence set her on a journey toward new purpose.  Cornelia settled in Toronto and built a second family of fellow working women who would become her closest friends and support network.  A career in the council offices of City Hall saw her serve as assistant to Councillor June Rowlands, eventual first female mayor of Toronto, and to Mayor Art Eggleton.  Cornelia witnessed first-hand at City Hall the inner workings of politics and the influences of governance and the law on community issues.  Recognizing this as the arena in which to make a difference, she pursued a career change into law.  In 1987, Cornelia completed her Bachelor of Laws at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School to become the first Filipina-Canadian lawyer in the country.   

In the 1990s, private practice in family and immigration law at Lawyer’s Hall in Toronto saw Cornelia confronted by shocking instances of domestic workers’ mistreatment and exploitation by their employers.  Cornelia took issue with these workers’ lack of security and protection.  She became one of the first social activists in Canada to fight for domestic workers and their vulnerability to restrictive racist immigration and labour policies.  Cornelia served as the 1993 president of INTERCEDE, the Toronto-based advocacy group for domestic workers confronted by precarious working conditions, exploitation, and workplace abuse.   She was a leader of the successful lobby, at every level of government, for domestic workers’ fair labour rights and their protection under Canada’s laws.  This led to their inclusion under the Employment Standards Act, the Workers' Compensation Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, in addition to gaining eligibility for permanent resident status.  

Her experience in immigration law and human rights issues in the community led to Cornelia’s appointment by the Governor General of Canada as a full-time member of the Convention Refugee Determination Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board.  She adjudicated the cases of refugee claimants for permanent resident status. 

Cornelia was recognized as a community leader in public service, justice, and equity, who always turned conviction into tangible actionable change.  She spoke at Canadian universities on the status of issues confronted by minority populations and by women.  In 1994, Cornelia was the recipient of the Constance E. Hamilton Award on the Status of Women, for making a significant impact on securing equitable treatment for women in Toronto.  

Mother Isabel’s last years brought Cornelia to the U.S.A.  She fell in love with Maui on a visit and chose to make it home in 2002‬.  She brought along the intention to continue in public service, with a specific focus on supporting individuals to recover and thrive in their community.  She found her calling in social work with the Domestic Violence division of the county’s Probation Office, where she devoured the opportunities to work one-on-one with clients over a length of time sufficient for helping them to identify options for recovery and success then building ownership of the decision to realize them.  She thrived in these opportunities to help individuals rehabilitate from the justice system.   

Systemic issues however did not take long to capture Cornelia’s attention, especially those concerning the local Filipino-American community:  discrimination in hiring practices, stereotyping within the community and in law enforcement, bias toward incarceration versus education.  Cornelia decided enough was enough.  She helped to form The Maui Filipino Working Group, a coalition of local prominent Filipina professionals who would raise awareness in the community to organize and lobby local authorities and government about these issues. 

Not only did Cornelia find purpose on Maui, but also love on its public transit system.  She frequently encountered Lucas on the bus as both rushed around to support their clients, until Cornelia was advised to make visits by car.  Enter Luc who offered to help her learn how to drive.  Many evenings were spent helping her practice the route to homes of the clients she was assigned to visit the following day.  They would note the landmarks on the way to her clients and Cornelia would have to identify them as markers on the route back. 

The two had in common the same community concerns but their sparks of attraction flew as opposites with different approaches to social justice.  Politically, Luc is a constitutional originist and Cornelia was a judicial activist — they ultimately understood that they had the same ends approached from different means. Their love grew in happy accidents, cultural education, and fun debate.  They married in 2006 and kept working for the people of Maui until their move to Nevada in 2018. 

To her core, Cornelia believed in family, community, her Filipino heritage, and the importance of education to build awareness in all of these things.  Many who have encountered Cornelia remember her insisting upon one thing:  having a library card.  She would take you to borrow your first book and expect a book report within the week.  For her, books were fully and simply the cornerstone of education.  Affectionately known as the one and only “Auntie” to all her nieces and nephews, Cornelia taught the family’s younger generation to strive always for learning and growth, to recognize the power of compassion and apply it, and to set purpose and foster drive toward it.  She was frank, honest, true to herself, and selfless in making each person feel loved no matter what. 

In her last days, Cornelia sang and danced to Ilocano songs with family, kind hospital staff, and as the star of Zoom video calls with her allies in Canada.  Stories shared and memories recalled reminded her of the immense human difference she made all throughout her life.   

Cremation was performed by La Paloma Funeral Home in Sparks, Nevada.  A hybrid memorial hosted by Gatheringus is to take place at Miller Memorial Chapel in Visalia, California.  Cornelia will be laid to rest in Visalia Cemetery, at mother Isabel’s side.  

Eternal rest be granted unto Cornelia, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.