Karachi Warren, 22, recently started a new job at Community North Hospital, moved into a new apartment in Carmel’s North End, and experienced a spike in views on his YouTube channel, Running with Karachi. The achievements are the culmination of years of hard work combined with guidance from a support team.
Warren was diagnosed with autism at age 3. His mom, Precious Johnson, has been his biggest advocate, making sure he had the support he needed from a young age and signing up for services to support both of them. As a Marion County resident, raising Karachi in Indianapolis Public Schools, Johnson made sure she attended every meeting and workshop available to make sure Karachi was on the best path forward.
Last fall, she attended a town hall meeting for North End, a new development in Carmel that includes 40 units to house adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Initially, Johnson thought Carmel was too far for Warren to relocate, but she filled out his information to place him in the lottery.
“Within probably about three weeks, they let me know that he’s picked for the lottery. I couldn’t believe it,” Johnson said.
Warren was able to select his apartment and move-in date.
Johnson said her son’s move to North End the day before Thanksgiving in 2023 was emotional.
“That me, my family, my husband, we have all done our job and now he is really an independent grown man,” Johnson said.
She often checks up on him and helps him with grocery shopping, but otherwise said Warren maintains his independence and “has just done so good.”
Warren enjoys his new apartment and the ability to run on the nearby Monon Greenway.
“It feels great to keep on spreading my wings,” Warren said.
Warren enjoys the community support at North End, including Monday evening music therapy and Thursday nights watching The Good Doctor.
“It’s great here as a community,” Johnson said.
Warren graduated from Project SEARCH through Community North Hospital in Indianapolis in May and started his new job in the materials management department stocking linens June 10. He works 25 hours per week on five-hour shifts Monday through Friday.
“I’d like to own my own car eventually and plan to live in my own apartment for years to come,” Warren said in his graduation speech. His dream car is a Ford Mustang.
Johnson made sure he had transportation to his job and signed him up for My Freedom Transportation through CICOA. The program provides transportation for adults with disabilities and is one of the only services to transport between Hamilton and Marion counties.
Running with Karachi
Since creating his YouTube channel in December 2021, Karachi Warren has seen his viewership rise above 400,000 and just under 2,000 subscribers. His videos show him running throughout Carmel and Indianapolis, and he particularly enjoys creating shorts of unboxing shoes.
When asked what his favorite thing about running is, Warren said, “pacing.” He likes to time himself running 5Ks. He started running cross country and track and field in middle school and says he does it because it is fun.
To follow his channel, visit youtube.com/@runningwithkarachi3955.
