Nicolle Grasse has committed her life to public service. A resident of Arlington Heights for 24 years, she is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and has been a hospice chaplain in the Chicagoland area for over 30 years. Grasse won the seat for Village Board of Trustees in 2021. In June 2024, she was appointed by area Democratic leaders to fill the vacant seat of State Representative for the 53rd District (Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Des Plaines). As a full-time State Representative, Grasse is still doing resource hospice chaplaincy. She is also a runner, an avid reader, a lover of poetry, blues and alternative music, and makes stained glass. Grasse’s husband Mike was a math and physics teacher with High School District 214 and her daughter Claire is studying to be a teacher at Michigan State University. She also has a rescue dog named Rooster.
Strength to Love
By Martin Luther King, Jr.
A book I first read while I was in seminary, this is a collection of Dr. King's sermons. Dr. King's belief that we are all "caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of history" continues to inform both my personal and public service life. I truly live my life believing that what affects one of us affects all of us and this informs all areas of my life and decision making.
What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism
By Dan Rather
In the past years as our nation has become more politically divided and respectful dialogue has not been the norm, this book by Mr. Rather speaks to the bigger idea of patriotism and what it means to be an American. He reminds us we are a nation of "dreamers and fixers," and this book speaks to me of the truth that even in our differences we have far more in common than we differ and that we are stronger in our unity and diversity.
Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change
By John Lewis
One of my heroes, Senator Lewis provides wisdom from his civil rights work to those who want to work for real change toward a more peaceful and just society for all of us and for our future generations. I attended a seminar with people who marched alongside Dr. King and other civil rights leaders and their influence remains a constant presence in my public service work.
Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague
By Geraldine Brooks
A continued favorite book of mine as a hospice chaplain who supports people forever changed by death and grief, this novel is a reminder of the hope and goodness that is also present in times of great difficulty and loss. I believe it still speaks to us, especially today as we continue to live with the collective trauma from the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How Philosophy Can Save Us from Ourselves
By Steven Nadler and Lawrence Shapiro
I am a lover of the ancient philosophers and their wisdom that transcends time. This book speaks to the reality of our times where disinformation, conspiracy theories and choosing opinions over facts is often chosen over critical and responsible thinking.
When Breath Becomes Air
By Paul Kalanithi
As a hospice chaplain I know our own mortality is still difficult to face and we often avoid talking and thinking about death until we are faced with it. This memoir written by a 32-year-old doctor as he was facing his own dying in the prime of his career and family life is a must read. It shows the gifts and perspectives possible in the face of death that can be life altering. One philosophical belief that guides my life is that while we cannot control what happens to us in life, we can always control how we respond to what is happening and this book gifts us with how Dr. Kalanithi chose to respond to his dying.