Population in the United States paid 215 Billion Dollars in taxes. 3 During this pandemic, that has now lasted over two years, our people have kept this nation running as “essential workers.” The agriculture, construction, and service infrastructure sectors are fueled by Hispanics generating approximately 2 trillion dollars for our economy.4 We are the elephant in the room when it comes to sustaining the US economy. The Journal of the HDA aims to highlight our scientific perspective on issues that affect our communities. This better supports the oral health workforce and generates opportunities for creating the needed pathways into the Oral Health fields. Science shows quality of life is directly impacted by good oral health. It is time for the U.S. to correct the proper count of the invisible giant within our borders. What does this represent for you and me? The value that comes from this data is a collective call for action. Now more than ever your paid membership and your involvement are needed to help us continue a legacy of helping shape our society. Please get involved and see that we can make a difference in the front lines or even behind the scenes together. #SomosHDA
Census should reflect the composition of our Country, not redefine it. Manuel A. Cordero, DDS, CPH, MAGD. Executive Director & CEO, HDA
The ability to count one’s people to understand growth and the distribution of “ During this pandemic, resources goes back to biblical times. Just as the book of that has now lasted over Numbers 1:2 described the References: request of God to see his people two years, our people have through the wilderness, the kept this nation running as 1. Wines M., Cramer. M, 2020 2020 census marked a vital tool Census Undercounted Hispanic, essential workers.” in understanding Hispanic Black and Native American growth in this nation. Most Residents, March 10, 2022, New recently the New York Times reported a major York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/ finding in the release of the 2020 Census stating that us/census-undercounted-population.html the overall number of citizens was undercounted by 2. Hispanic-Americans’ Contributions to U.S. almost 19 million individuals and ethnic proportions Wars, Military Officers Association of America were incorrect.1 Hispanic residents in this nation https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-andwere misrepresented in a major way. Alarmingly, 1 media/moaa-blog/hispanic-americans-out of 20 Hispanics was not counted. This 5 percent contributions-to-u-s--wars/ discrepancy, represents millions of more Latinos/ 3. The Power of the Purse: How Hispanics Latinx in this nation were forgotten. As a collective Contribute to the U.S. Economy, New American people, we provide an essential part of American Economy Research Fund, December 2017 http:// infrastructure historically and economically. research.newamericaneconomy.org/wp-content/ Hispanics have helped fight in every war that has uploads/sites/2/2017/12/Hispanic_V5.pdf shaped this country.2 Our patriotic impact has 4. Vazquez Russel, M. Hispanic Heritage spanned from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Month Report: Hispanic, Latino workers kept the US and both World Wars. We helped weave the American economy moving during the pandemic. ABC News historical tapestry. From a social/economic impact, affiliate WATE https://www.wate.com/hiddenHispanics help grow a 1/3 of our food, help build a history/hispanic-heritage-month/report-hispanicquarter of our homes, roads, buildings, and other vital latino-workers-kept-the-us-economy-movinginfrastructure, and represent 14 percent of our during-pandemic/ entrepreneurs.3 Five years ago, the Hispanic
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