The walk from Swineburn Park to Grand Street, even in the sweltering heat felt like a duty for Albany High School student Abigail Williams.

“It’s important for me to come out to ensure that the youth is represented, because we are the people that are most affected by this,” said Williams. “They’re the ones who to have to grow up and then we have to be adults in this world we have to know how to handle if they have to know how to deal with it and they have to know how to live in it.”

At 17 years old, she wasn’t even the youngest in the crowd of marchers.

“We want to stop the gun violence, I am very aware of that,” said 10-year-old Lila.

A recent uptick in violence prompted Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan to seek county and state assistance in patrolling certain areas in the city.

The violence also prompted local activists and two dozen organizations to plan the unity walk.

“It says that people want change and they have dedication for us to actually come together as a community that’s what we’re doing right now,” said Lexis Figuereo with Saratoga Black Lives Matter.

Thomas Mueller with Capital Region Cares was also part of the planning process.

“Our city and not just Albany, but Troy and Schenectady have been plagued with violence," said Mueller. "And we need to take a stand as a community and come together to support one another."

The stops along the way at memorials for those who recently passed reminded walkers of what’s at stake.

“This could be somebody that I go to school with, this could be me,” said Williams. “So it’s really important that everybody, young, old, in between, come out, walk, speak, do something to make a difference.”

The violence has been traumatizing to the whole community, leaving some with a lifetime of pain.

Ahmad Nasr worked with recent homicide victim, a 35-year-old resident many knew as David.

Nasr said David had a wife, several kids and another on the way.

“It’s really sad," Nasr said. "I don’t feel good right now. I don’t want to do anything, it’s messed up my life really.”

David died in a shooting on 1st and Quail Streets last month. He is just one of the latest victims.

“I knew David,” said Willard Wolcott, who lives on Quail Street. “Good guy. I used to come to the store all the time and visit with him. I’m here to show my respect to everybody. Put the guns down, we don’t need that no more.”