amna: Reclamation, resurgence, resilience. Always to describe what is happening with native American fashion and art as it becomes more visible. Our reporter met one artist creating more authentic designs and is working with a non-native company to reconcile past wrongs. Reporter: At her home, Adrian Benjamin is part of a growing resurgence in native American design. >> I'm a designer, I feel like I am a teaching artist first. Reporter: She has been selling regalia and attire for decades. When she was young, and elder taught her how to make jingle dresses and ribbon skirts to keep the cultural tradition alive. Now her close regularly sellout on social media. And the looks are not just for pow-wows anymore. >> When I think about it, I think it is reclamation in a big way. Even Peggy Flanagan to be seen, visual representation out there, what that does that for other indigenous people in general is crazy. Reporter: Minnesota lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan is the highest ranking native American elected to executive office. U.S. Interior secretary deb Haaland is a member of the Pueblo of Laguna. She became the first native American sworn in as a cabinet secretary. Both made their indigenous identities visible. >> One of the products we carry is natvs, natives, they have a clothing line, a lot of different t-shirts. Reporter: It wasn't always like that. Boarding schools forced generations of native Americans to be ashamed of who they were. Few could make a living off their art. And that's why it matters now. >> Another company is Round Lake tradition, that's herb fineday, he is also a fond du lac number. Reporter: There are also ribbon skirts, sweatshirts and hats. And the number of native clothing brands is growing. >> It's wonderful to see people coming here, especially the kids and younger people that want to start wearing these items and take pride in their culture and be able to represent their culture by having a clothing line that is for them and designed by people like them. Reporter: Today's focus on native designers and art is an act of resilience to decades of cultural appropriation by non-native companies. Zimmerman says anything that uses generic or romanticized native imagery is probably not authentic. How is cultural appropriation harmful? >> For one thing, American Indian artists aren't getting credited for their work, and with the electoral property rights and things like that, native Americans -- let's say they have a beaver design and it is appropriated and put on a shirt and someone is selling it, you just ripped off my art. Reporter: But it's complicated. Some big name companies that have appropriated native designs for years are also beloved by many native Americans. Some are now trying to make amends. Jori Miller Sherer is president and a fourth-generation family member at minnetonka. Her great grandfather got involved with the company in 1946. Her grandfather joined soon after. >> It was really at that time a gift shop souvenir company. That was a time in our country people were going on road trips. Reporter: The native-inspired moccasin became the best-seller. >> 77 years, for the majority of that time, did not understand cultural appropriation. I would say in the last decade we've really started to think about it and start to begin to understand what it was and what we were doing. And there were a few years we were paralyzed by fear. Reporter: But in 2019 the company reached out to Adrienne Benjamin, who became a reconciliation advisor. Sherer says the company's culture and midwestern nature was to stay quiet. But George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. And with Benjamin's help, minnetonka started to change. >> If you're going to do this and do it right, you have to do some serious looking in the mirror and you have to face things and be open and get past initial self-defense feelings. In summer of 2020, we published an apology on our website and talked about it very clearly. We called it appropriation, so we acknowledged what it was. We apologized and we said come back and check in the fall, we will have more of a plan. Reporter: Minnetonka also changed its logo. And it collaborated with Adrienne Benjamin on a line of beaded hats, and with another native American designer, Lucy skejfte, on a new beaded moccasin design. The company also donates to native American non-profits. But change takes time. A culturally appropriated beaded thunderbird design is still in its product line. Sherer, who is in her late 30s says that too is getting a , makeover. It's these efforts that have convinced Benjamin the company wants to do better. >> That revolution has to come through LI ship and I know a lot of people don't think that in that is ok, but I think people can and deserve an opportunity to write their wrongs. Reporter: For the pbs newshour, I'm kaomi Lee in St. Paul. ♪♪
