It is loosely based on the life of William Holland Thomas, and explores the sociopolitical events related to Cherokee removal in 1839.
She said (in comments translated into English) that "the children are learning to speak Cherokee, and I feel the Cherokee language is important because the government sees the Indians, but doesn't see them as Indians if they don't speak their own language".
She was so moved by seeing a four-year-old read Cherokee words that she stepped out of the classroom to cry.
[8] This declaration included a resolution to work together on language revitalization, prompting Johnson to say "when they signed it, they made an agreement with us.
[1][9] Johnson's two daughters, Myrna Climbingbear and Renissa McLaughlin, have worked with her on language revitalization.