United States Hispanic Leadership Institute

⏰ Tomorrow is the day!

Join us for the USHLI National Panda Express Virtual Fundraiser and turn your next meal into an investment in future leaders.

When you order through the Panda Express App or Website and use fundraiser code **9015256**, you help support educational opportunities, leadership development, scholarships, and programs that empower students and communities nationwide.

📅 Friday, June 19, 2026

🔑 Fundraiser Code: 9015256

📲 Order through the Panda Express App or Website

⚠️ Third-party delivery apps do not count toward the fundraiser.

Thank you for helping us create opportunities for the next generation of leaders. ❤️

I am proud to honor a true legend, Frank Casillas, because unfortunately, far too many people under 40 years of age have probably never heard of him, a modest gentleman, a home boy raised by loving hard-working parents who sacrificed everything for their children so they could have a better life. Frank did not disappoint.

Frank Casillas was born in Michoacan, Mexico and immigrated to America with his parents as a 5-year old child. The family settled in East Chicago, Indiana. While his father worked in the steel mills, Casillas attended and excelled in school, graduating from Washington High School in 1944 and Purdue University in 1948 with a degree in engineering. He then joined the Army and attended officer training school and graduated at the top of his class. He fought in the Korean War and was awarded a Bronze Star for bravery.

After the war and for the next 30 years, Frank Casillas had a very successful engineering career. As it ended, a bigger opportunity knocked on his door. President Ronald Reagan appointed him Assistant Secretary of Labor, making him one of the highest ranking Hispanics in the federal government. When he returned and settled in Downers Grove, Illinois, then-governor Jim Edgar appointed him director of institutions, overseeing a variety of financial institutions.

I first heard about Frank Casillas during the presidential campaign of 1980. Ben Fernandez sought the Republican nomination for president of the United States, the first Hispanic to seek the presidency. Fernandez was considered to be the best candidate at several political events, called cattle-shows, but he didn't have the money or name recognition compared to Ronald Reagan or that of former Texas governor John Connally. To help him in Indiana and Illinois, Fernandez enlisted the help of his friend and colleague Frank Casillas, the most prominent Hispanic in political circles in the Midwest. Later, they both worked in the Reagan administration after Reagan defeated incumbent president Jimmy Carter. I was the Carter campaign's Hispanic vote coordinator in Ohio and met Ben Fernandez when he campaigned there.

I was on the losing side of that election, thanks in part to Ben Fernandez and Frank Casillas, the dynamic-duo of American politics in those years. Soon after that election I moved to Chicago, where I met Frank Casillas. Both men earned my respect and admiration, but Frank Casillas was in a class of his own. He died in May of this year at 100 years of age.

Dr. Juan Andrade, Jr.
President
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, Inc.

Photo credit: Chicago Tribune

A meal can do more than satisfy your hunger—it can help create opportunities for future leaders.

Join us on June 19 for the USHLI National Panda Express Virtual Fundraiser and support programs that empower students through education, leadership development, and community engagement.

Order through the Panda Express App or Website and use fundraiser code 9015256 at checkout.

Every order helps make a difference.

📅 June 19, 2026
🔑 Fundraiser Code: 9015256
📲 Order through the Panda Express App or Website
⚠️ Third-party delivery apps do not count toward the fundraiser.

🥡 Support USHLI Through Our National Panda Express Virtual Fundraiser!
Mark your calendar for Friday, June 19, 2026 and enjoy your favorite Panda Express meal while supporting educational opportunities, leadership development, and programs that empower students and communities nationwide.
Participating is easy:
📲 Order directly through the Panda Express App or Website
🌐 https://www.pandaexpress.com
🔑 Use Fundraiser Code: 9015256
❤️ USHLI receives 28% back from qualifying pickup orders
⚠️ Orders placed through third-party delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and similar apps do not qualify for the fundraiser.
Every qualifying order helps USHLI continue investing in future leaders through scholarships, leadership programs, educational initiatives, and community impact.
Thank you for your support. Together, we can make a difference—one meal at a time.

Mark your calendars for **Friday, June 19**! 🥡

Your next Panda Express order can help create opportunities for students across the country.

By participating in USHLI's National Panda Express Virtual Fundraiser, you're helping support programs that inspire leadership, expand access to education, and invest in the success of future generations.

Simply place your order through the Panda Express app or website and enter fundraiser code **9015256** at checkout.

✨ A simple meal. A meaningful impact.

📲 https://www.pandaexpress.com

Support future leaders while enjoying your Panda Express favorites! 🥡✨

Join the USHLI Panda Express Fundraiser on Friday, June 19, 2026, and help us continue expanding educational opportunities and leadership development for the next generation.

Use fundraiser code **9015256** when ordering through the Panda Express app or website, and **28% of qualifying pickup orders will be donated to USHLI**.

⚠️ Orders placed through third-party delivery apps such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub will NOT count toward the fundraiser.

Every meal helps create opportunities, leadership, and a brighter future for our community. ❤️

Join us for the 2026 USHLI Annual Dinner as we celebrate leadership, service, and community impact alongside educators, students, partners, and supporters committed to empowering future generations.

This year’s theme, “First Gen to Next Gen: From Emerging to Leading,” highlights the journey of leadership, opportunity, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers.

We are honored to welcome Hon. Henry G. Cisneros as our featured speaker for this special evening.

📍 National Museum of Mexican Art
📅 August 6, 2026

For more information and ticket purchases, please visit our website:
https://www.ushli.org/events-2/

We look forward to celebrating with you.

Today, we honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

This Memorial Day, USHLI reflects with gratitude on the courage, dedication, and legacy of our fallen heroes and their families.