Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck, a 52-year-old woman with a name as unconventional as her life story, has no intentions of altering her name, despite the fact that she neither partakes in marijuana nor drinks soda or alcohol.
Named Marijuana Pepsi by her mother, Brandy “Maggie” Johnson, the distinctive title was chosen with the hope that it would grant her daughter some level of notoriety in the world.
Throughout her life, Marijuana has endured an endless stream of curiosity and speculation surrounding her name, with many people incorrectly assuming that her mother’s choices stemmed from a troubled background.
Defying the stereotypes associated with her name, Marijuana pursued her education tirelessly, ultimately earning a PhD in Higher Educational Leadership.
She now serves at the Community College of Baltimore County and is also the founder of the Action as Empowerment Center for Change, as reported by the New York Post.
Despite receiving frequent suggestions to change her name from various people, Marijuana remains resolute. Many are so taken aback by her name that they prefer to call her Mary, much to her dismay.
Ironically, although she has no interest in carbonated beverages and has never smoked marijuana, she is often approached by cannabis companies eager to collaborate with her.
Marijuana is determined to embrace her extraordinary name and views it as a platform for challenging societal judgments based solely on names.
Residing near Live Oak, Florida, she recalls, “Classmates and even teachers would whisper and come up to me asking if it was my real name. I would overhear people speculating if my mother was a ‘crackhead’—I still hear that to this day.”
Frequently, when people learn her name, they ask for a nickname, to which she responds, “If calling me Marijuana is uncomfortable, you can call me Dr. Vandyck.” Marijuana has always had high aspirations for herself, declaring, “I always knew I would earn a PhD as I’ve dedicated my life to education. If people are going to call me Marijuana Pepsi, I’m going to be Dr. Marijuana Pepsi.”
She perceives her name as a source of empowerment, allowing her to break free from the constraints of others’ expectations.
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Although she faces discrimination in her professional life, with some institutions doubting her qualifications due to her name, she firmly believes that her unique identity allows her to challenge and redefine the concept of success on her own terms.
As a mother to a 21-year-old son, Isaac Sawyer, Marijuana reflects on her mother’s intent in choosing such a distinctive name, believing it was meant to help her shine and become a “force in the world.
Despite her many academic credentials, she has met skepticism and job rejections, often from people who are impressed by her qualifications yet surprised by her name.
Marijuana confidently asserts her ownership of her name, stating, “I won’t answer to a different name just to appease someone who is struggling with what they think my name signifies. It’s a problem, but it’s not my problem.”
She frequently encounters inquiries about her lifestyle choices, particularly pertaining to dru_gs and alcohol.
However, she firmly clarifies, “People don’t believe me when I say I’ve never smoked w33d—because ‘there’s no way someone called Marijuana isn’t a smoker.’” Although she is sometimes approached by marijuana companies, she emphasizes that any collaboration would need to focus on education.
In her own unique way, Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck chooses to “get high on life,” celebrating her individuality and advocating for understanding and acceptance beyond the surface.
