Around 30-40 students attended this panel; the impressive turnout confirmed what I already knew— social responsibility is no longer just a warm and fuzzy concept that sounds “nice” among this generation of future business leaders. Instead, it is a valued necessity, and I am hopeful that more and more business professionals are seriously considering microfinance and development work as real career options for their future.

The LGBT focus of ROMBA also encouraged me to contemplate the diversity of our client base. Our invitation to participate in this conference is a signal that there is strong interest in microfinance within the LGBT community, and I believe our client base should reflect the LGBT community’s support and interest in micro-lending. As a leader in domestic microfinance, ACCION USA must set an example by serving a diverse group of clients, not just in terms of gender or ethnicity, but also in terms of sexual-orientation. ROMBA reminded me that we should continually strive to provide our services to diverse communities around us; after all, microfinance’s most important mission is to promote financial inclusion for all and provide financial access to all people.