Barbara Johnson loves to get lost in any good, suspense-filled story.
She鈥檚 part of a book club where she receives a monthly selection of books at Roseville Senior, one of 91看片鈥檚 residences for seniors and disabled adults in Newark, where Johnson has lived for eight years.
鈥淚鈥檓 a reader,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love mysteries.鈥�
She also enjoys the thrill of television shows such as 鈥淣CIS,鈥� 鈥淢urder, She Wrote,鈥� and 鈥淟aw and Order.鈥�
However, Johnson still finds plenty of time to be involved in the life of her building, according to Alisha Chatman-Jenkins, care coordinator at Roseville Senior.
鈥淪he likes to stay busy and is an extremely impactful resident鈥� at Roseville Senior, Chatman-Jenkins said.
Johnson, 71, is no bookworm when it comes to getting to know her neighbors, however.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 meet strangers,鈥� she said. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 just my personality.鈥�
As the sergeant-at-arms during Tenant Association meetings鈥攚here disputes and conflicts are addressed鈥擩ohnson鈥檚 presence helps to maintain order.
鈥淢s. Barbara is who I call the voice of reason in the building,鈥� Chatman-Jenkins said. 鈥淲hen there are problems in the building amongst the residents and everyone is in an uproar, she is the one to calm any situation to where they all can talk to each other as adults.鈥�
Born in Baltimore, Md., Johnson moved to New Jersey in 1962 upon graduating from high school. In 1965, she married and moved to Gary, Ind., where she worked on the railroads as a clerk and spent time outdoors, recording numbers on the freight trains and tracking what came in and out of the yard.
鈥淎 lot of people didn鈥檛 know they hired women,鈥� Johnson recalled, noting that she was the third African-American hired at the company. She left the Midwest after she and her husband separated and returned to Newark.
At Roseville Senior, Johnson promotes resident participation in meetings, educational workshops and trips, Chatman-Jenkins said.
鈥淎ll she says to me is, 鈥楪ive (me) the time and date and I will do the rest,鈥欌�� she said of Johnson.
