Jamaican-Canadian Communications Specialist Wins Second Canadian Award In Less Than A Year
From starting life in Canada on a relative’s couch to boardrooms across borders, Kimesha Walters proves that strategy and resilience can build a brand that is seen, heard, and remembered
Canada International Black Women Excellence (CIBWE) is proud to announce that Kimesha Walters, CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications, is one of its 2025 Top 100 Black Women to Watch, her second major award in less than a year.
This win underscores the Oasis CEO’s rapid rise as a Jamaican-Canadian trailblazer in leadership and strategic communications. The new accolade follows her September 2024 victory at the Women Empowerment Awards, where Walters won the Mantella Corporation BIPOC Entrepreneur Grant Award, in historic fashion, from a record-breaking pool of 243 applicants.
CIBWE’s prestigious honour recognises Black Canadian women who exemplify leadership, innovation, and community impact across a diverse range of fields. What makes this win even more striking for Walters, is the contrast between now and 2018, when she migrated to Canada. Back then, she found herself wedged between resilience and raw survival, redefining what it meant to keep going when her blueprint had fallen apart.
“I started life in Canada sleeping on a family member’s couch. To be more specific, I was living in their living room. For over a month. No privacy. No comfort. No peace,” said Walters. “It wasn’t a lack of planning that landed me on that couch. I am a strategist by design, and I came to Canada prepared. I had saved money, created my budget, and mapped out every step. I had made plans to secure a place with family, but at the very last minute, everything shifted.”
Walters said her supposed flatmate changed plans, and just like that, the strategy she had built around her arrival disappeared. “It was a heartbreaking situation to be in. Reflecting on the setbacks, the struggles related to integration, and the doors that were shut in my face, I am proud of my accomplishments,” she added.
“When I think about this CIBWE honour, I think about the immigrant journey. The way we packed up everything, started over with almost nothing, and found the strength to rebuild again and again,” Walters shared. “This award is a reminder of the grit it takes to stay inspired through difficulties, fight the urge to settle for less-than-ideal situations, and to keep expanding when every fibre of our being tells us to shrink.”
“I’ve walked into rooms where no one knew my name and lived in cities without a single connection, yet I stayed committed to building the business and life I envisioned. Today, I’m humbled that my work speaks for itself.”
“The CIBWE 2025 Top 100 Black Women to Watch represents the upcoming visionaries and change-makers of our current generation, each with remarkable achievements. Kimesha stood out because of her innovative spirit, heart for service, and unwavering commitment to building a brand that creates opportunities not just for herself, but for the people and communities around her,” said the CIBWE Communications Team.
Raised in Prospect, a community in deep rural Clarendon, Jamaica, Walters is proud to be anchored by her humble beginnings and her roots as she continues to grow her business and brand across Canada and the Caribbean. Today, those same living room nights stand in stark paradox to the spotlight she now occupies as a two-time award-winning entrepreneur, recognised among Canada’s most visionary Black women.
“After her Mantella Corporation award win last year, we had the privilege of working with Kimesha as her client,” said Sylvia Mantella, Vice President of Marketing, Sponsorship, and Philanthropy at Mantella Corporation. “Her insight, creativity, and ability to turn challenges into opportunities are unmatched. Seeing her recognised by CIBWE comes as no surprise. Kimesha inspires everyone around her to aim higher and achieve more.”
With an expanding client base, Walters is leading her business, Oasis Integrated Communications, in transforming marketing communications to help brands, entrepreneurs and businesses to be seen, heard, and remembered.
“Our mission is to continue to lead publicity, content development, and marketing for clients who are doing great work and need a spotlight to continue to increase their reach and impact. We’ll keep telling stories that shift conversations, unlock visibility, and translate directly into growth,” she noted.
As a Black Woman to Watch (also known as Black Pearl), Walters will also be featured in the official event magazine and receive recognition across the organisation’s platforms. A gala event to honour the awardees will be held on Saturday, October 25, at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton, Ontario.
The Black Pearls Gala, attended annually by over 500+ guests, marks a celebration of excellence and sisterhood, featuring tributes, live performances, and keynote remarks from leaders across Canada’s Black community.
The 2025 theme, “A Decade of Excellence: Celebrating Timeless & Unapologetic Sisterhood”, centres the transformative journeys and shared legacies of Black women from within the Canada International Black Women Excellence network. Walters joins a distinguished alumni network that continues to make strides in entrepreneurship, business, technology, arts, advocacy, and many other fields.
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