Jazmine and Olivia’s adventure to uncover the truth about the legendary typing teacher
If you’ve ever learned how to type on a computer, you’ve met Mavis Beacon. Mavis Beacon teaches typingShe taught typing to millions of kids and adults throughout the ’90s and early 2000s. But here’s a surprising fact: Mavis Beacon isn’t real. Or is she?
in Searching for Mavis BeaconIn Mavis Beacon, director Jazmine Rene Jones and co-producer Olivia McKayla Ross embark on a neon-soaked adventure to uncover the mystery behind Mavis Beacon. This hybrid documentary takes viewers on a journey that’s equal parts detective noir and buddy coming-of-age story, as these “egirl detectives” search for Rene L’Esperance, the Haitian woman who served as the model for the iconic software.
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The Myth of Mavis
Jazmine, a Black queer filmmaker from the Bay Area, grew up with Mavis Beacon as her first typing teacher, her first Black teacher, and a kind of virtual mentor. “In 2018, when I was 28, I found myself wondering what had happened to Mavis Beacon,” Jazmine said. This curiosity prompted me to investigate, and led me to Olivia, a 19-year-old queer video artist from Queens who combines her family’s background in birth work with her passion for technology.
Olivia’s reflections on the collaboration are similarly vivid: “I discovered Jazz through the co-organizing space… Their co-organization, FU, was doing a lot of this really amazing pan-Black, pan-Asian solidarity organizing through the arts.” The two clicked immediately, and with each step of their exploration, their intergenerational bond deepened.
How mentor and friend Jazmine helped Olivia find her place in the queer community
For Olivia, meeting Jazmyn was more than just a creative collaboration: it was life-changing. “Meeting Jaz and her partner, cinematographer Yen, was the first time in my life I’d ever encountered queer elders, people who acted like older brothers and sisters in a chosen family,” Olivia recalls. “I learned so much from Jaz about navigating the world as a queer person, from political organizing to my own sense of style… I think they made my experience as a queer youth feel so normal and safe.” For Olivia, Jazmyn became a guide, mentor, and friend, shaping her journey and affirming her place in the queer community.
Tracing history and hearsay
The film dives into a sea of conspiracy theories, deepfake videos and internet legends, going from myth to reality. It takes the viewer from an imagined scene of Mavis Beacon being honored by President Barack Obama to real-life detective work tracking down Rene L’Esperance. Jazmine and Olivia use everything from internet sleuthing, spells and even a “Find Mavis Beacon” hotline for tipsters.
But this journey isn’t just about finding Renee. It’s also about grappling with big questions: “What does it mean for black women to be perpetuated as digital slaves?” Olivia asks. “We have to learn to treat conspiracy theories as intuition,” Jazmine adds.
The Future of Digital Identity
Searching for Mavis Beacon Coming at a pivotal time in 2024, when AI, digital privacy and online identity are hot topics, Jazmin and Olivia challenge audiences to think critically about their digital footprint and the impact of their online presence. “You can opt in and read the terms and conditions… or you have the right to disappear,” Jazmin reminds us.
An invitation to connect
On the other side of the screen, Jazmine and Olivia are inviting viewers to take part in the project through a typing game on the website. Seeking Mavis BeaconYou can also get involved by sharing your memories via the online social networking website, or the hotline at 575-SEEKING. “Whether you have memories of Mavis Beacon, real or imagined, please leave a message,” Olivia encourages.
This documentary is more than just a film. It’s an open-ended conversation, a dip in nostalgia, and a call to rethink who controls the narrative. “The film is a love letter to us young people and to future generations,” says Jazmine. “Keep asking your friends the awkward questions.”
And that’s a message we all need to hear.
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Source: Gayety – gayety.co
