Blog 1 – Aben Flores

Hey, I’m Aben Flores! I’m majoring in psychology so I can become a child psychologist one day. I barback/bartend on the weekends at a fine dining restaurant called ”Peak” and I love hospitality.

Music is an integral part of everyone’s lives, especially mine. I have always been fascinated by music that touches on themes of anxiety, depression, and mental illness as a whole. Pictured above is the album cover of” KIDS SEE GHOSTS” by Kid Cudi and Kanye West. The art here is the album cover itself, as well as the music. The artwork was created by Takashi Murakami. In the background is an outline of Mount Fuji as well as some bonsai trees. I interpret the artwork as finding peace, tranquility, purpose, and overcoming hardships. Throughout the album, Kanye West and Kid Cudi talk about their experiences with suicide, anxiety, and more. Kanye west reflects on his past suicide attempts and how everyone called him crazy for struggling with bipolar disorder. Cudi talks about how lonely and depressed he was after his uncle passed away. The duo aims to change the way people see mental illness, as many dismiss its very existence. I was diagnosed with major anxiety disorder growing up which caused many hardships for me. It wasn’t until I started going to therapy that I learned to cope. Albums like ”KIDS SEE GHOSTS” hold a special place for me as Kanye and Cudi spoke against the stigma. My experience with therapy has inspired me to find a career in it and that’s why I’m passionate about it.