How to Build a Basketball Museum
Cultural archivist, artist, and coach Jeannine Kayembe Oro is building something the basketball world has never had: a museum dedicated to Black women’s basketball history — from the Tribune Girls and early Philly basketball to the WNBA era and beyond.In this episode, Jeannine explains why preserving this history matters, how coaching young Black girls exposed a deeper problem of representation beyond the athlete, and what it really takes to build an institution without a blueprint and finding funding to execute the vision.Jeannine breaks down:◼️ How her immigrant upbringing shaped her mindset ◼️ What the museum will be◼️ The decades the museum will cover ◼️ The nuance behind records and recognition — including the conversation around Lynette Woodard and the NCAA timeline◼️ Grant-writing best practices: how to be specific about audience, impact, and execution0:00 The Need for a Black Women's Basketball Museum0:59 Introducing Guest Janine Kayembe Oro1:12 Early Life and Childhood Influences1:44 The Spark: A WNBA Family Member and First Collection Piece5:25 Immigrant Background and the Spirit of Service8:53 The Pivotal Moment: Coaching and Inequity in Women's Basketball11:44 Challenges of Building a Black Initiative and Fundraising14:29 Vision for the Black Women's Basketball Museum18:57 Uncovering 100 Years of Black Women's Basketball History25:01 Unsung Heroes and Legacy Builders in Basketball26:50 The Business Behind the Museum: Funding and Grants30:26 Grant Writing Best Practices and Narrative Change32:28 Elements of a Successful Museum34:25 Basketball's Impact on Identity and Culture38:48 Creative Pathways in Basketball: Beyond the Traditional41:47 An Inspiring Message to Young Black Girls in Basketball43:01 How Basketball Saved My Life45:20 Support the Black Women's Basketball MuseumSupport + Follow Jeannine◼️ Instagram: @bwbbmuseum◼️ Donate to the museum - https://gofund.me/583ca6c8fWant more behind-the-scenes + extended moments?Join The Business of Basketball Patreon for:◼️ Behind-the-scenes clips from recordings◼️ Extended cuts + moments that didn’t make the public episode◼️ Early episode drops + guest reveals◼️ Private community discussions◼️ Episode breakdowns (lessons + takeaways)👉 Join here: https://www.patreon.com/businessofbasketball?vanity=user
