>> ERIC: UP NEXT, KAOMI LEE TRAVELS TO ITASCA COUNTY TO CATCH UP WITH AN INDIGENOUS ARTIST WHO BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO REALIZE THEIR POWER.

[ PIANO MUSIC AND SINGING ] ♪♪ >> Kaomi: NATIVE ARTIST AND MUSICIAN ANNIE HUMPHREY SINGS ABOUT EVERYDAY LIFE.

LYRICS: I DON'T CLAIM TO HAVE THE ANSWERS.

>> Kaomi: HER SONG, PERSONAL SAVIOR IS ABOUT HER 30-YEAR-OLD SON AND HIS STRUGGLES WITH ADDICTION.

>> I DO HAVE AN INDIAN NAME.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ] IT MEANS HEARING A WINDSTORM ON THE WATER.

>> Kaomi: A QUIET WINDSTORM SHE IS.

HUMPHREY LIVES ON HER FARM ON THE LEECH LAKE RESERVATION IN DEER RIVER.

>> I'M A GRANDMA.

SO I HAVE THREE GRANDSONS AND ONE MORE ON THE WAY.

I LIVE HERE N THIS RURAL SETTING WITH MY HUSBAND AND WE HAVE ANIMALS AND PROPERTY TO TAKE CARE OF.

>> Kaomi: SHE LIVES CLOSE TO THE LAND, CHOPPING WOOD AND SAPPING TREES FOR SYRUP, GROWING UP IN A FAMILY WHERE MONEY WAS SCARCE, HUMPHREY SAYS SHE LEARNED SELF-SUFFIENCY.

HER FAMILY HUNTED, FISHED AND GREW THEIR OWN FOOD.

>> BUT AS I GOT OLDER, I REALIZED IT WASN'T REALLY ABOUT THE ECONOMY, IT WAS THE WAY WE JUST LIVE, THE WAY MY FATHER AND MOTHER WANTED TO SHOW US HOW TO LIVE.

SO EVERY SPRING WE WERE OUT TAPPING MAPLE TREES.

AND WE BOIL ON SITE, SO WE'RE IN THE WOODS.

AND NOW THERE ARE THESE TUBE SYSTEMS, ALL THE SAP FROM ALL THESE TREES ARE COLLECTED IN ONE BIG CONTAINER.

I REMEMBER, I SKED MY DAD, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE DO IT LIKE THIS, DAD?

AND HE SAID, IF WE DID IT LIKE THAT, WE WOULD NEVER GO VISIT THE TREES.

♪♪ >> Kaomi: RESPECTING THE EARTH AND SELF-RELIANCE ARE VALUES IMBUED IN HER ARTISTRY, NOT JUST THE MUSIC BUT ALSO TRADITIONAL ANISHINAABE BEAD WORK AND IN MAKING JINGLE DRESSES AND ACCESSORIES, SHE SAYS, SEEING THE RESULTS OF HER LABOR IS ATISFYING.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES IS SOMETHING SHE LEARNED SHE COULD DO FROM TIME SPENT N THE MARINES.

>> THE MILITARY TAUGHT ME TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE, THAT PHYSICALLY I'M STRONGER THAN I THINK I AM.

WE ALL ARE.

>> Kaomi: ANOTHER BIG INFLUENCE ON HUMPHREY IS THE LATE INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AUTHOR AND POET, JOHN TRUDELL.

>> EVERY NEGATIVE THING YOU THINK ABOUT YOURSELF, BELIEVE ABOUT YOURSELF, OU KNOW WHAT, YOU DIDN'T THINK IT UP.

YOU DIDN'T.

WHATEVER OUR NEGATIVE -- WHATEVER WE FIND IS OUR SHORTCOMINGS, NEGATIVE THINGS WE BELIEVE ABOUT OURSELVES, WE DIDN'T THINK IT UP.

SOMEBODY PUT IT THERE.

SOMEBODY PUT IT THERE.

>> HE INSPIRED ME BECAUSE HE WOULD TALK ABOUT, LIKE, HOW WE SOMETIMES JUST HAND UR OWER OFF BECAUSE WE MISTAKE POWER FOR AUTHORITY.

♪♪ [ SINGING ] LYRICS: USED AGAINST THE ONES WHO WON'T FIGHT BACK ♪ >> Kaomi: THIS FALL, HUMPHREY AND FELLOW CREATIVES TOOK THEIR MESSAGE ON TOUR.

THEY CO-FOUNDED A NON-PROFIT CALLED FIRE IN THE VILLAGE, THEY GOT FUNDING FROM THE McKNIGHT FOUNDATION AND OTHERS.

EVENTS WERE PART CONCERT, PART FASHION SHOW, AND PART PRINTMAKING STUDIO.

SHE SAYS, THEY WANT TO STOKE EVERYONE'S INNER FIRE.

>> WE'RE NOT BUILDING ANYTHING.

THAT'S KIND OF ARROGANT TO SAY.

THEY'RE ALL THERE.

BUT I THINK JUST ADDING SOME INSPIRATION, TEACHING A KID SOME NEW STUFF, THEY'LL CARRY ON, YOU GOT TO FEED THAT LITTLE FIRE.

>> SHE'S JUST A GREAT SONGWRITER AND, YOU KNOW, JUST A BRILLIANT MUSICIAN, YOU KNOW, SHE'S MORE THAN A MUSICIAN, I MEAN, SHE'S REALLY AN ARTIST.

SHE INCORPORATES SO MUCH, LIKE, FASHION INTO HER MUSIC.

YOU KNOW, SHE HAS A MESSAGE, TOO.

IT'S A POWERFUL MESSAGE.

>> HER MUSIC CUTS TO THE CORE.

IT'S STORYTELLING THAT IS SO REAL AND AUTHENTIC.

HER LAST ALBUM, "THE LIGHT IN MY BONES," THE "WAS ABOUT HER LOSING HER DAD AND I WAS LOSING MY DAD AT THAT TIME THAT THE ALBUM CAME OUT AND I FELT LIKE SHE NEW MY STORY.

>> Kaomi: HUMPHREY ALSO USES HER ART TO STAND UP FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES.

IN RECENT YEARS, SHE ORGANIZED AGAINST A PROPOSED $440 MILLION HUBER ENGINEERED MILL IN COHASSET, PROPONENTS SAID IT WOULD CREATE JOBS.

HER BAND, THE LEECH LAKE BAND BANDOF OJIBWE, OPPOSED IT.

HUMPHREY SAYING, DREW CHALK MURALS AND HELPED GATHER PETITIONS.

SHE'S INSPIRED A YOUNGER GENERATION OF INDIGENOUS VOICES AND COLLABORATORS.

>> SHE'S REALLY HELPED TO SHAPE WHO I AM, SHE'S HELPED ME FIND MY PURPOSE IN THIS WORLD.

>> Kaomi: GOOSE IS NOW RESEARCHING HOW TO PROTECT MAHNOMEN FOR THE NEXT SEVEN GENERATIONS AT THE LEECH LAKE TRIBAL COLLEGE.

>> I WOULD SAY I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS.

MY DAD TAUGHT ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LAND CAN TAKE CARE OF US IF WE AKE CARE OF THE LAND.

AND ANNIE, I THINK SHE GREW UP IN THAT SAME WAY.

SHE'S HELPED ME TO,, LIKE, TURN THAT INTO ACTIVISM, THOUGH.

HER WORDS EALLY STICK WITH ME.

SHE TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO STAY IN THE PLACES WHERE WE'LL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT.