>> ERIC: NEARLY A DOZEN YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE OGLALA LAKOTA TRIBE FROM THE PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA ARE WORKING IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

THEY'RE LEARNING VALUABLE JOB AND LIFE SKILLS THAT THEY PLAN TO TAKE BACK WITH THEM TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITY.

REPORTER KAOMI LEE WENT UP TO COOK COUNTY TO MEET THEM.

♪ BIG BAG IG BAG ♪ BUT, MY BAG IS LOADED P WITH SNACKS AND DIFFERENT FOODS ♪ >> Kaomi: HOW IT'S GOING.

>> IT STARTED OFF AS A SOCIAL TREND, SOCIAL MEDIA, BASICALLY T A FOOD I IS?

WHEN YOU'RE A FOOD I, THAT'S WHAT IT IS BASICALLY, IF YOU CAN EAT THAT MUCH, THEN YOU KNOW YOUR BACK GROWS.

>> THE NAME BIG BACK EATS STUCK.

THE FOOD STAND QUIETLY OPENED THIS SUMMER.

IT'S LOCATED HALFWAY UP THE GUNFLINT TRAIL IN GRAND MARAIS.

IT'S ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE TRAIL CENTER LODGE AND IS OPEN ON DAYS THE RESTAURANT IS CLOSED.

>> I DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING LIKE WE DO IN TRAIL CENTER BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 30 YEARS.

>> Kaomi: SARAH HAMILTON IS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR.

THE MENU JUST CAME TO HER.

>> I THINK IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF RECIPES ON TIKTOK.

>> Kaomi: IT MAY BE THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE STATE FAIR, BUT FOLKS IN COOK COUNTY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO St. PAUL FOR AMAZING GLOBAL STREET FOOD.

>> WE HAVE A SMASH BURGER FROM THE UNITED STATES.

THEN WE HAVE A KOREAN CORN DOG, WHICH WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH HIS.

YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING INSIDE THAT BATTER.

>> Kaomi: LIKE A MILKY WAY BAR, THERE'S ALSO JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN, FRY-BREAD STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE.

THE REAL STORY ISN'T THE FOOD.

FOR A FEW YEARS, HAMILTON HAS BEEN VOLUNTEERING WITH A NONPROFIT CALLED ONE SPIRIT.

SHE BRINGS LAKOTA YOUNG PEOPLE UP FROM THE PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

HOME F THE OWING LALALAKOTA.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE WORK AT TRAIL CENTER AND LEARN JOB SKILLS.

OGLALA.

IN TURN, HAMILTON HAS SUMMER STAFF IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET.

PINE RIDGE IS ONE OF THE POOREST NATIVE RESERVATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.

>> I BELIEVE T'S 85% IS UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN THERE DUE TO THE LACK OF A LOT OF THINGS.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.

ALSO, LIKE, NO EXTRA JOBS AROUND THE RESERVATION.

>> WE BRING KIDS OVER IN THE SUMMER, HAVE THEM WORK ALL SUMMER, THEN HEAD BACK HOME IN THE FALL.

AND WE FOUND THAT IT WAS GREAT, THEY WERE COMING HERE FOR THE SUMMER, GOING HOME, BUT THEY WERE GOING HOME TO NO JOBS.

SO, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE JOBS FOR THEM TO TAKE HOME WITH THEM.

>> Kaomi: HAMILTON RAISED $20,000 IN DONATIONS TO BUY THE FOOD STAND AND TRAILER.

SHE AND THE LAKOTA YOUNG PEOPLE WORKED ON THE RECIPES TOGETHER.

THEY'RE LEARNING HANDS-ON ABOUT RUNNING A FOOD BUSINESS AND ABOUT LIFE.

>> SHE'S MORE OF A MOTHER THAN A BOSS TO PIECE, PERSONALLY.

AND I CAN SHARE THINGS WITH HER THAT I CAN'T SHARE WITH MOST PEOPLE.

>> Kaomi: FOUNDER JERRY BAKER SAYS ONE SPIRIT MEANS LAKOTA AND NONLAKOTA WORKING TOGETHER.

SHE SAYS THE WORK TRAINING IN GRAND MARAIS IS ABOUT BREAKING A CYCLE OF DESPAIR.

>> ONE OF OUR GOALS FROM THE BEGINNING AS TO PROVIDE WAYS FOR THE PEOPLE THERE TO BE EMPLOYED, AS WELL AS TO MAINTAIN THEIR CULTURE AND HELP THEM ON THE ROAD TO SELF-SUFFIENCY, WHICH S WHAT THEY WANT.

>> THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.

WE CALLED -- IN OUR LANGUAGE WE CALL OUR CHILDREN [ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ] AND THAT TRANSLATES TO SACRED BEING.

>> Kaomi: WARREN, GOT, YELLOWHAIR IS A LAKOTA LEADER ON THE RESERVATION.

HE SAYS IT'S ABOUT A HAND-UP NOT A HAND-OUT.

>> BECAUSE OF COLONIZATION IN THE BOARDING SCHOOL ERA, A LOT OF THAT FAMILY VALUES WERE, YOU KNOW, BROKEN DOWN.

TODAY WE'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF FAMILY DYSFUNCTION BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND, SO, TRYING TO REBUILD OUR NATION.

>> Kaomi: ONE SPIRIT HAS FUNDED A BUFFALO-PROCESSING FACILITY, A YOUTH CENTER, AND IS WORKING TO IMPROVE LIVING CONDITIONS ON THE RESERVATION.

HAVING LAKOTA YOUNG PEOPLE RETURN WITH JOB SKILLS AND A FOOD STAND COULD IMPACT GENERATIONS.

ANOLA RUNNING HAWK SAYS SHE'S GOT PLANS TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE AND BECOME A TEACHER.

>> SOMETHING I WANT TO BE IS ACTUALLY BE IN A COMMUNITY WITH KIDS AND TEACHING THEM THINGS HAT I WISHED I COULD LEARN WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE.