A recent community event in Oak Forest, a suburb southwest of Chicago, has drawn widespread criticism after a group of performers appeared in blackface during a live skit.
According to CBS Chicago, the performance took place on July 20, 2025, during a Polish cultural picnic hosted by dance groups Zespol Wanta and Mloda Wanta at the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict grounds. The skit, intended to parody scenes from the movie Sister Act, included exaggerated costumes and makeup, including a woman in dark face paint with exaggerated features and a man portraying a stereotyped rapper.
Attendees quickly voiced their discomfort, with some calling the performance “deeply offensive” and “shocking.” One attendee, Magda Purkała, described the act as perpetuating harmful stereotypes and racially insensitive humor.
The City of Oak Forest released a statement condemning the performance, emphasizing it was not city-sponsored and does not reflect the community’s values. The Archdiocese of Chicago also distanced itself, noting the event was organized independently and without church approval.
