TORONTO, Canada – Jamaican-Canadian entrepreneur Kimesha Walters, CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications, was a winner at the recent Women Empowerment Awards, where she walked away with the Mantella Corporation BIPOC Entrepreneur Grant Award which includes CAD$10,000 to support the growth of her business.

The Canada-wide award recognises successful black, indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) business leaders who have overcome great challenges, breaking through roadblocks to gain credibility and establish themselves in their industry.

Walters is one of three Jamaican-Canadians who had emerged as the top finalists out of a record-breaking pool of 243 applicants. The two other Jamaican-Canadian business leaders who have made outstanding strides in their respective fields are Judy Stewart, Founder of Trèsolz, and Natasha Ferguson, Founder and President of Ethelfox Construct Group.

“It’s an honour to be selected as the winner among the powerhouse entrepreneurs and trailblazers who are doing incredible work and making a positive impact across Canada,” said Walters in a news release. “As entrepreneurs, we challenge ourselves, we fight countless unseen battles, and we push boundaries to chase a dream that sometimes only we can see. There’s a feeling of relief and exhilaration knowing that others are seeing the work I’ve been putting in.”

She added, “Starting a business that serves other brands was like second nature for me. Since 2010, I’ve been running my Amazing Prospects charity, providing resources for children in the rural community where I grew up in Jamaica. Here in Canada, I recently served as the President of the Clarendon College Alumni Association, Toronto Chapter, because I’m always scouting opportunities to make a positive difference, even as I grow my business.”

Walters migrated to Canada in 2018 and despite over a decade of experience with top brands like Grace, Hyundai, Microsoft, Pepsi, and Scotiabank, landing a job in Canada felt impossible, she stated.

She said that frustration pushed her to start Oasis Integrated Communications, a strategic communications firm with operations in Jamaica and Canada where she gets brands, entrepreneurs, and C-Suite executives seen, heard, and remembered. Oasis Integrated Communications gets more eyes on brands and businesses through compelling content development, brand storytelling, public relations, and social and digital media marketing campaigns.

And it’s been going well so far.

Walters has racked up an impressive portfolio of clients across diverse industries in North America including collaborations with AV Communications – a leading multicultural marketing agency in Toronto that caters to top brands like Western Union (US and Canada), BMO Financial, L’Oréal, and T&T Supermarket, the largest Asian grocery store chain in Canada. Back in Jamaica, she has worked with brands like Charles Chocolates, IGL, Ignite IGL Foundation, National Road Safety Council (NRSC) Jamaica, and others.

Sylvia Mantella, Vice President Marketing, Sponsorship and Philanthropy at the Mantella Corporation noted, “I am thrilled to present Kimesha Walters, CEO of Oasis Integrated Communications as this year’s winner of the Mantella Corporation Entrepreneur BIPOC Grant Award with $10,000 to further her success, recognising her unwavering perseverance, leadership, and outstanding achievements.”

She added, “Mantella Corporation is a strong supporter of the advancement of business owners and entrepreneurs across Canada returning for a third year to the Women Empowerment Awards.”

Walters has partnered with and delivered various speaking engagements over a dozen organisations across Canada and Jamaica in the last four years, including The Canadian Small Business Women (CSBW) where she has been an advisor, mentor, and partner; the prestigious Scotiabank Women Initiative, Canada, where she was featured in May 2024 as a Masterclass presenter; HEART College of Beauty Services, as a panelist for Global Entrepreneurship Week; The Honeybun Foundation where she was a key member of their marketing committee; Startup Canada, as an ecosystem partner; and the YWCA Hamilton where she has hosted workshops, spoken as a panelist, and was recognised as a YWCA Hamilton Women of Distinction Nominee.