Rio Babe International was founded by Sam Strand and Kirby McKenzie in December, 2009 in preparation for a residency at La Ex Hacienda de Guadalupe in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Upon return to the Bay Area, Rio Babe constructed their senior thesis at California College of The Arts entitled “Mi Pueblo: A Global Mexican American Marketplace.” Their second solo show, “Rio Babe presents The World Cup 2010,” was installed at Hatch Gallery in lieu of the world’s largest global event. Since then R.B.I. has curated, produced, and designed cultural collisions through the use of social installation, fashions, advertisements, talent production, and performance. Rio Babe’s practice of social design has incorporated everything from portable green screens, cocktail parties, and traveling beauty salons to street corner restaurants, the Internet, and digital fabric and fashion design. They have collaborated with and worked for Panamanian-American rappers Los Rakas, Internet artists, Oaxacan artisans, female singer-songwriter Anna Ash, floral designer Peter St. Lawrence, and a gold jewelry salesman.