Stories by Toni Lopez

Antonia Lopez-Vega

Antonia Lopez-Vega

Reporter

Bringing Tradition from the Philippines to California: Francis San Diego, the Batok Practitioner
Bringing Tradition from the Philippines to California: Francis San Diego, the Batok Practitioner
When you think of getting a tattoo, you probably imagine the buzz of a machine. But there's a shop in Riverside where one artist uses needles wrapped around sticks and a mallet. It's called Batok and it originated in the Philippines. KVCR's Toni Lopez spoke with Filipino Batok Practitioner Francis San Diego, and took a piece of his art home with her.
Toni Lopez | May 29, 2026, 2:10 AM UTC
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