AUSTIN, Texas —  A North Texas state lawmaker is trying to diversify the Texas Capitol. 

Rep. Carl Sherman, D-DeSoto, wants his fellow lawmakers to join his "Diversity Under the Dome" initiative. He's urging them to recruit people from different backgrounds to work as legislative staffers. 

"When you have diversity in any organization, you're much better," he said. "You understand all of the different dynamics that play out culturally speaking, ethnically speaking and as well gender speaking. And companies that are diverse outperform Wall Street according to Harvard studies." 

Rep. Sherman is beginning his second term and says several of his fellow lawmakers have gotten on board. But he's pushing for it to be a bigger bipartisan effort. 

"It matters if you have representatives that have diversity in their staff when you're drafting bills that address the needs and interests of people who may be different from you culturally, may be different from you gender wise and ethnically, it makes a difference, and I think you come out with better legislation," he said. 

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Rep. Sherman, including his recent recovery from COVID-19.