JULY 2026
VINCE MAGAZINE
Q&A
WITH VINCENT FERGUSON
INSIDE THE 1994 CHILDREN’S CHOICE AWARDS IN NY In 1994, the Caring for Kids Children’s Choice Awards gave youth a powerful voice, crowning Michael Jackson as their favorite artist amidst intense media scrutiny. In this exclusive interview, Vincent Ferguson takes us behind the scenes of that historic night when Michael appeared to accept his honor. Question : “The unique premise of the Children’s Choice Awards was that the winners were chosen entirely by youth balloting across the tri-state area. When the votes were tallied and you realized 100,000 children had overwhelmingly chosen Michael Jackson for the ‘Caring for Kids Award,’ what Answer: Once it became clear that he would accept the award, I was excited, not just because of his celebrity status, but because it meant that the voices of those 100,000 children would be heard and respected on a very public stage. This was always about giving our children a voice to be heard and they chose Michael Jackson. was your immediate reaction, especially amid the intense public and media scrutiny taking place at the time?”
By Glenna Gonzalez, MBA
That's what our sponsors believed in, and that's why they supported the program long before Michael Jackson's name was ever mentioned. Was it a difficult decision? Absolutely. On one hand, I had a responsibility to stay true to the mission of the organization. On the other hand, I understood there could be serious financial consequences if we went against the wishes of a major sponsor. But this wasn't a decision I made alone. I brought the issue to our Board of Directors, and after discussing it, the vote was unanimous. We agreed that if the Children's Choice Awards was truly about honoring the voices of children, then we had to respect their choice, regardless of any potential backlash. In the end, we chose principle over pressure, and I've never regretted that decision.
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