Calling all Undocumented Storytellers, Poets, Artists, and Dreamers

A Guide to Contributing to La Cuenta

We are looking for contributors to La Cuenta!

The primary goal of La Cuenta is to offer individual stories and perspectives about the costs of undocumented living in the U.S. Though we feature interviews and writing from researchers focused on topics related to immigration, La Cuenta is primarily written by current and formerly undocumented individuals as well as members of mixed-status families. If you know someone who would be a great contributor or if you want to share a story with us, please get in touch.

From the moment that we—Alix and Antero—began developing La Cuenta, we envisioned it as a space for collaboration and for centering the voices of an undocumented community that is more than capable of sharing expertise and wisdom.

How can I help?

While the majority of the posts on La Cuenta (so far) have been written narratives and transcribed interviews, we welcome submissions of various formats. Videos, audio recordings, photo essays, interactive media: we want you to use whatever helps you share your voice. 

What should I write about?

A typical La Cuenta entry is between 500-1000 words. Your entry can be written anonymously if that is preferred. 

Rather than seek broad arguments about policies, we are looking for personal perspectives and experiences. What would the general public be surprised to learn? What would other members of the undocumented community empathize with? What is something about your experience in America that particularly frustrates you? Makes you proud? You feel passionate about? Makes you absolutely infuriated? 

If you want to contribute but are not sure what to write about, let’s talk! 

What else should I know?

We are a small but mighty publication. A longterm goal of ours is to leverage La Cuenta as a resource for mutual aid for our contributors and their families. Currently, we can offer contributors $50 per published post. In addition, you will retain the copyright for any content you publish on La Cuenta and are welcome to repost/publish it elsewhere after it is shared here. 

Finally, we know writing can be a challenging, laborious, and vulnerable process. If you have an idea but don’t feel confident as a writer, no problem! We are happy to work with you and help you develop your post together. 

For any ideas or pitches, please email us here.