Growing up a fan of geek culture a lot of my heroes were not real. Peter Parker was not a real teen in New York fighting crime. Luke Skywalker was not learning to be a Jedi in a galaxy far, far, away. I knew these were not real people but could connect to them. I longed to belong and wanted something better for my life by reading and watching these two. What does this all have to do with Seeking Mavis Beacon? While the characters I connected with had multiple stories that were told, for those who looked up to Mavis Beacon, there were only a few images on the packaging that slowly changed into different versions of the same person.
Seeking Mavis Beacon digs into what happened to Renée L’Espérance who represented Mavis Beacon on the program package. It also delves into the influence Seeking Mavis Beacon and digs into what happened to the person that represented Mavis Beacon on the program package. It also digs into how representation is important in a person’s life and how Mavis Beacon was that representation for many. It’s fascinating hearing the stories of people who learned how to type with Mavis and probably would not have had Mavis been of a different persuasion. One woman states that Mavis helped her in her first office job because she used the program to learn how to type.
Jazmin Jones and Olivia McKayla Ross, go on a virtual detective hunt to track down Renee and learn about what happened to her and if she is still around. The story of how Renee was discovered is mysterious in that depending on who you talk to the story varies. The one constant in the story is that Renee was discovered working at a perfume counter and was only paid $500 for her time. No one was prepared as to how big the program was going to become and Mavis did not get any type of residuals for being the face of the program. This led to a lawsuit that resulted in Renee being paid an unknown amount and disappearing into the world.
What Jazmin wants to do with this documentary is give Renee the flowers that so many people want to give to her. She wants to let her know the influence that she has had on many urban children who learned to type because of her. Sometimes in this world, many of our heroes never know they are our heroes and all we want to do is tell them. Seeing Jazmin and Olivia jump hurdles, physically and emotionally is what makes this documentary a must-see.
At one point in the story, Jazmin sums it up best as to why this documentary is being done. The history of minorities is not being told and they end up being erased from history. Mavis Beacon is an important part of history and her story needs to be told. People need to remember that this is more than just a typing program. If the image on the box were of a white woman, there would be countless shows and specials about her. Mavis Beacon can not be forgotten and this documentary will help preserve her history.
The great thing about documentaries is that the audience goes through the journey with the filmmakers. In Seeking Mavis Beacon we see all of the wins and struggles that Jazmin and Olivia go through. We feel their pain when their office is vandalized and we feel their joy when they uncover more pieces to the puzzle. While the outcome of their search may feel incomplete to some, it has accomplished its mission of making us remember Mavis Beacon and learn about the lady behind the image.
Final Thoughts: Seeking Mavis Beacon is so much more than two women trying to find this iconic person. This documentary is about finding yourself and the importance of having representation in your life. Many people learned to type with Mavis Beacon and might not have taken to the program if it was a different person’s image on the box. This documentary will stay with you after it’s over because of the power of its message.
Kid-Friendly: There are some swear words and images that might not be suitable for younger kids. The theme of thanking those who have helped you in your life is a great one for kids to see. Maybe this will also inspire more kids to take some form of typing lesson.
Violence: There is no violence in the movie but there is a scene when the office of Jazmin and Olivia has been vandalized due to being used by another group while they were gone.
The most recognizable woman in technology lives in our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing taught millions globally, but the software’s Haitian-born cover model vanished decades ago. Seeking Mavis Beacon follows two DIY detectives as they search for the model while posing questions about identity and artificial intelligence.