Paul Espinosa found a way to connect his background studying anthropology with media — storytelling in film. He started making documentaries in the 1980s at the local PBS station, focusing on Chicano/Latino stories along the U.S.-Mexico border. He realized a need for these stories to be shared nationally, leading to more stories about San Diego.

“I think the border region is a fascinating location for great stories — both those unfolding today, as well as historical stories, which have never been told,” he says, which include his films “The Lemon Grove Incident,” “Ballad of an Unsung Hero” and “In the Shadow of the Law.”

In that continued spirit of finding and telling compelling stories, Espinosa and his team began work on “Singing Our Way to Freedom,” a documentary about the music and activism of Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez, a favorite of Cesar Chavez and one of the founders of Chicano Park in Barrio Logan. Sanchez passed away in 2016. The film, completed in 2018, will be screened at 2 p.m. today at the National City Public Library, where Espinosa will talk about the film and answer questions.

Espinosa, 72, continues his work as an independent filmmaker and owner of Espinosa Productions and has been recognized and honored for his work in film and social activism through film festivals in his honor and awards from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the California Chicano News Media Association, and received a Hispanic Heritage Month resolution from the U.S. House of Representatives. He lives in University Heights with his wife, Marta Sanchez, and they have a daughter, Marisa Espinosa Rodriguez. He took some time to talk about his work, the time he spent with Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez, and the regard he holds for being able to tell people’s stories.

Q: Why is it important to you to focus on telling stories about Mexican people in the U.S. and the U.S.-Mexico border region?

A: So much of the Latino/Chicano/Mexican American experience is still poorly understood and undercovered in the media. Things have changed, somewhat, since I first began making films back in the late 1970s, but when you consider that about one in five Americans today are Latino, you realize that we are really underrepresented in all forms of media, whether its television, radio, film, or print. I’m glad to have been part of a generation of Chicano/a filmmakers who dedicated themselves to telling our stories so that they will be around for future generations. I think there is still so much work to do to make sure that these stories become part of the official record, part of the curriculum that is taught in schools. When I screen my films, I meet so many young people who are thrilled to learn about the stories in my films. Sometimes, they are angry that they’ve never heard about these stories in the course of their schooling. I think we need to make greater efforts to make sure these stories become part of what all students learn in their high school curriculum.

Q: How does “Singing Our Way to Freedom” fit into this work for you?

A: This film was both a portrait of a dedicated musician and cultural worker, as well as an introduction to the Chicano civil rights movement. Unfortunately, many students don’t learn about these subjects in school. I think the film is a productive way of learning about the important contributions of one individual, as well as the larger efforts of a whole generation, to fight for social justice and equal opportunities that had been denied for decades. Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez was a talented musician who was able to integrate the culture and history of the border region into his songs and his life. I think his story is a wonderful role model for young people today to learn about what can be achieved through community solidarity and working to secure social justice for everyone.

What I love about University Heights…

I like the walkability of all of the neighborhoods just north of Balboa Park, where there are so many interesting things to see, great restaurants, and cultural institutions.

Q: As you went through the editing process, what informed your decisions about what to keep in the film? What did you want to say through the footage that you kept?

A: Making this film was a long, extended process. I did lengthy interviews with many people who knew Chunky and had grown up with him and played music with him. I had a lot of material to work with, although not as much archival material as I would have liked. I had many performances of Chunky playing various songs, but had to narrow it down to the best performances, both in terms of the audio quality and the choice of songs. I wanted audiences to understand the evolution of Chunky as a cultural worker coming from the small, rural community of Blythe, Calif., and then becoming part of the emerging Chicano movement that was unfolding in San Diego. I also knew that much of that story is unknown to most audiences, even here in San Diego. I was able to work with a really talented team on the film.

Q: Can you talk about the significance of him receiving a National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship?

A: Every year, the National Endowment for the Arts honors our nation’s folk and traditional artists for their efforts to conserve America’s culture for future generations, in the form of the National Heritage Fellowship. This is a major recognition for individuals like Chunky, who have made really important contributions to our culture, but who are often unrecognized. In receiving the award, Chunky joined previous honorees, like B.B. King, Flaco Jimenez, Doc Watson, Lydia Mendoza, and Bill Monroe.

Q: How would you describe his place in the history of the Chicano movement?

A: Chunky was just coming of age as the Chicano movement was unfolding. He came from a farmworking background, but due to the efforts of some key individuals in Blythe, where he grew up, he came to San Diego State University in 1970. He became involved with a musical group called La Rondalla Amerindia de Aztlan, started by Pepe Villarino, a professor at SDSU. The group began following Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers all over the state and soon Chunky became Chavez’s favorite musician. I think Chunky learned a lot about the role that music could play in the struggle for social justice. He also had a pivotal experience in Mexico City in 1973, where he met many leaders of protest music unfolding throughout Latin American. Musicians were in the forefront of protesting the autocratic actions of their governments and I think Chunky saw how powerful music could be in inspiring people and keeping them engaged in the struggle.

Q: What are you currently working on? What should we be looking for next, from you?

A: I am currently developing a feature-length documentary titled “Searching for Padre Martínez.” The film is my journey to explore the life of Antonio José Martínez, an activist priest dedicated to the emerging ideals of democracy and public education in 19th-century New Mexico. Today, we are witnessing a withering assault on democracy and I’m interested in discovering how democratic ideals first came into play in the Southwest, through public intellectuals like Martínez, who are virtually unknown today.

Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: Take one step at a time, be patient, and don’t get ahead of yourself.

Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?

A: Many people who know my films are not aware that I was trained as an anthropologist. I never studied filmmaking at all, but was always trying to find a bridge between anthropology and media. I felt that so many of the compelling insights in the academy never reach a wider public. I’ve tried to devote my career to telling important stories to the widest possible audience.

Q: Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.

A: Spending time with my wife, my daughter, son-in-law, and my two grandsons, all of whom live here in San Diego.