A 2006 Lakota West graduate is responsible for curating a national museum in central Ohio that reopens this week after 17 months with its doors closed.

Aleia Brown, 24, of West Chester Twp. has been working since February 2012 as the curator — responsible for designing and planning exhibits; testing the exhibits with audiences; working with graphic artists on visual messages and marketing; and grant writing.

Brown came into her role during a transitional period for the museum, which had been closed since August 2011 due to mold. Alongside a team of 10 from the Ohio Historical Society, Brown began cleaning and preserving more than 800 artifacts — from automobiles to doll collections and ceremonial and military artifacts.

“The museum is rebuilding itself and can set the stage,” Brown said. “It’s a big opportunity for now and for my development in the future.”

With a Master’s degree in public history from Northern Kentucky University, Brown said her education and subsequent internships have prepared her well for the role — especially a course in her last semester on mold damage and other emergencies.

The National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center, located at 1350 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, is holding a grand reopening with free entry from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. The museum is also open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Featured in the free open house event on Jan. 26 will be Brown’s first curated exhibit “How I Got Over,” with both present artists and those from a century ago. The exhibit touches on themes of spirituality, protest and celebration.

“It’s a powerful exhibit that reflects overcoming obstacles,” Brown said. “Even though it’s about African-Americans, anyone can relate. Overcoming challenges is part of the human experience.”

With more than 10,000 square feet of gallery space to play with, Brown calls it “imagination’s playground.” She said the museum has gone through significant remodeling.

“I encourage people to come out and visit because it’s such a treasure,” Brown said of the museum.

Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, a West Chester Twp. artist and curator, said she’s very excited to see the reopening of the national museum under a “fresh curator with new ideas.”

“It’s a new awakening,” Mazloomi said. “I’m hoping for big things. The anticipation is palpable.”

Mazloomi — an internationally-known quilter — will be one of the artists featured in the exhibit “How I Got Over.” Mazloomi’s selected piece is from a series on black folk life about strong ties with faith and music.

“Faith has sustained us since day one, through many a troubled time,” Mazloomi said.

Mazloomi is also helping to curate a spring exhibit at the museum titled “And Still We Rise; race, culture, and visual conversations.” The exhibit will include 100 quilts tracing the presence of Africans in the U.S. since the 1600s.

“Important people and issues that helped shape African-American culture,” Mazloomi said.

Mazloomi said she’s been involved at the museum since the 1990s. As the only African American museum in the state, she said the reopening is that much more critical to the community. Mazloomi said it’s important for the longevity of the national museum — and others like it — that young people get involved in curating and preserving history.

“We need a presence of African American art not always shown in mainstream museums,” Mazloomi said. “Aleia is a wonderful historian in the making … she’s quite dedicated to this and well-educated; you don’t find many young people like that.”