As part of Black History Month, CFL.ca is highlighting stories and voices from across the football community that celebrate identity, experience, and impact. This week, we share Wayne Moore’s story.
When people first meet Wayne Moore, they often know only one version of him.
Some remember the running back selected 11th overall in the 2016 CFL Draft by the Montreal Alouettes out of McMaster University. Others know the painter whose work now lives in galleries and community spaces.
Moore himself never saw those identities as separate paths. They informed each other, challenged each other, and ultimately shaped how he understands purpose, creativity, and perseverance.
Moore tells that story in his own words, reflecting on the moments that shaped both the player and the artist. Here are three takeaways from his journey.
RELATED
» George Reed’s impact still resonates during Black History Month and beyond
» Corey Mace on representation, responsibility and winning in Black History Month spotlight
» Diversity is strength videos, stories and much more
» Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates
HE ALWAYS EMBRACED BOTH SIDES OF HIMSELF
Long before his professional career began, Moore understood that he did not fit neatly into one box. He leaned into both structure and creativity, even if the people around him only saw one side at a time.
“I consider myself a left brain, right brain enthusiast,” said Moore. “That’s how I kind of joined both aspects of my life that have taught me so much. People that know me for sports don’t know me as an artist, and the people that know me from the art world, they don’t know me as football. Whenever I reveal it, people are completely confused.”
That perspective followed him through every stage of his football journey. While he was chasing opportunities in the CFL, art was never something he discovered later. It was already there, quietly growing alongside his athletic career and giving him another lens through which to understand himself.
FINDING HIS FOOTING WITH THE LIONS CHANGED HIS CONFIDENCE
Wayne Moore’s story is rooted in the balance between football and creativity that has shaped his path (CFL.ca)
Like many pro careers, Moore’s early years came with uncertainty. After being drafted and dealing with setbacks, he was still searching for the place where things would click. That shift came when he joined the BC Lions, where he carved out a role and finally felt a sense of belonging at the professional level.
He recalls how quickly things turned once he got that opportunity.
“When I got that call from BC, I knew something about me changed. I said, ‘Am I coming back?’ I went to the workout and at the end they were like, ‘Why are you not with a team?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I’m asking the same thing.’ And they signed me. That just changed everything for me.”
His journey there was not without challenges. Injuries sustained during a car accident eventually led him to step away from the game, a turning point that forced him to slow down and reassess, much like many of the pivotal moments he now reflects on in his story.
Despite those challenges, his career as a running back reinforced the belief he had carried since college that something meaningful would happen for him in the game. That stretch did not just validate his work as an athlete, it also gave him the confidence to keep investing in every part of himself, including the creative side he had often kept private.
HIS ART IS ROOTED IN HERITAGE AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
Moore speaks about creativity less as a hobby and more as something he feels called to share. Much of that perspective comes from his upbringing and cultural background, which continue to shape the themes and energy in his work.
“A lot of it is from my upbringing, my culture,” said Moore. “I was born in Jamaica. It’s a very vibrant country. Jamaicans are very vibrant households. There’s bright colours everywhere, and we take pride in that.”
His pieces often focus on connection, possibility, and strength. He describes creativity as something meant to be offered outward, not kept to himself.
“I have to gift my art to others. I have to gift it to the world, and that’s my duty, to continuously create.”