Announcing The Cost of Convenience (coming to a bookstore near you)

"Because stories like mine and like Jose Antonio Vargas’ are not shared often enough..."

This week’s installment of La Cuenta is an announcement by way of an origin story.

Before La Cuenta existed, we (Alix and Antero) launched a multi-year research study exploring the myriad, personal costs of surviving in America while labeled undocumented. This work is built from a dialogic methodology called plática (we’ll talk more about how our research methods have grown in future weeks). 

Today, we are thrilled to announce that the book based on our research, The Cost of Convenience: Accounting for Undocumented American Life, will be officially published by Beacon Press.

We are moved by the many untold stories of perseverance and genius that mark undocumented living. They sweep us up like a riptide of love and faith in this current of historic xenophobia. In developing our book, we were especially inspired by Jose Antonio Vargas’ Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen. As we were deciding how we would share the work that became our book, Alix’s words during one of our pláticas best captured the spirit of The Cost of Convenience:

This is my story. This is what I have to offer to the world. I’m sharing it with you because, perhaps, you might be able to relate to my experiences. 

When people read this story, I want them to feel like, “Wow, I’ve never seen something like this before!” Because stories like mine and like Jose Antonio Vargas’ are not shared often enough. They are often hidden because people like me are told that our voices are not worth it and we may not have the courage to put them out into the world. Even worse, sometimes people like me feel like our stories are not worth hearing. 

Stories like mine and like Jose Antonio Vargas’s are not shared often enough. They are often hidden because people like me are told that our voices are not worth it.

But I need people to know that our stories are worth hearing. They must be told!

I feel grateful that I have had the opportunity to read Jose’s book because hearing his voice gives me hope. It makes me feel like when I am writing, I am saying, "Hey, I represent Alix and I have done an amazing job. I’ve done everything I can to put her where she needs to be, regardless of all the barriers working against me."

*** 

Every second of my life is a struggle. Even being on the freeway is hard. Sometimes I have panic attacks just driving to work. What I'm trying to tell you is that I’m writing this book because I need more people to try and understand this life. I feel the need—as a woman of color, as a Mexican—for readers like me to be like, "Whoa, she did that! Maybe I can write a book too." I want people like me to feel brave enough to share their stories too. I want us to know that we can do that. 

That’s the origin of The Cost of Convenience and of La Cuenta. We are excited to share this space with all of you.

I want people like me to feel brave enough to share their stories too. I want us to know that we can do that. 

Propina

Three things to note for this week’s propina: 

1. While The Cost of Convenience won’t be published for (at least) a year or two, we’ll be posting updates, outtakes, and sneak-peeks here on La Cuenta. If you’re new here, stick around and share this space with others who might be interested.

2. As many of you know, the costs—physical, emotional, spiritual—of undocumented living in this country are extensive and ever-accumulating. La Cuenta emerged as a recognition that there are many, many books to be filled describing the hardships of undocumented survival. We want to remind you that you have an open invitation to share your experiences, perspectives, and questions here on La Cuenta (just get in touch and we’ll figure it out).

3. If you haven’t read Jose Antonio Vargas’ Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, go check it out already!

We’ll see you next week.