Black Woman Named Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck Earns PhD Yes, you read all of that correctly . According to the Journal Sentinel , a Black woman with an unusual name has overcome a lifetime of haters and downtalkers to earn her doctorate degree. 46-year-old Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck, DOCTOR Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck, graduated from Cardinal Stritch University in Wisconsin last month. She says she absolutely refused to change her given name in order to show people that you can overcome things that people say will hold you back. Teachers, classmates, bosses and even some friends refused to call her by her name and tried to opt-out for “Mary”. She wasn’t having it. Those criticisms even inspired Marijuana to title her dissertation: “Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions.” Her mother, Maggie (Brandy) Johnson, who still lives in Beloit, picked out her name and proclaimed that it would take her around the world. Her sisters, one older and one younger, got relatively common names, Kimberly and Robin. When asked about her thoughts on the legalization of her namesake she says: “My main concern are the individuals serving time for marijuana-related offenses. I would like to see all their sentences overturned. These people were locked up for making money from the sale of marijuana, and now that the government has figured out ways to make the money themselves, it is ‘legal’ and, further, encouraged.” For the record, Marijuana says she’s never smoked and doesn’t drink Pepsi. “I feel great. I party with drunk people; you can’t tell us apart.” She also doesn’t drink Pepsi or other soda except for an occasional fruity soft drink in an ice cream float. God bless the good sis. Put some respect on her name, not a Swisher Sweet!
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Summa Cum LOUD-e: Black Woman Named Marijuana Pepsi Takes High Road Over Lifelong Haters, Earns PhD At 46
