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Military Humvees [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-bobby-massie-jersey]Bobby Massie Jersey[/url] , officers in combat gear and the occasional F-16 flying over downtown Minneapolis are all part of the beefed up security measures that come with hosting the Super Bowl. But those images can be scary for some immigrants and refugees who are worried about terrorism, deportation or even a war they can’t forget.

A special team with the city of Minneapolis has been working for weeks to reassure immigrant communities that all the extra muscle is here to keep them safe. The team is reaching out through radio and television broadcasts, social media and in-person meetings with elders and community members. The goal is to keep communities informed about everything from security to transportation issues, and let them know they can also participate in the fun.

”It’s a welcoming place … for people to come downtown and enjoy,” said Michael Yang, a southeast Asian community specialist with the city. ”You shouldn’t have to fear anything.”

Minnesota has been a welcoming state for immigrants over the last several decades, thanks in part to its social service programs. The state is home to the largest Somali community in the U.S., roughly 57,000 people according to the latest census figures, most of whom live in the Minneapolis area. The state also has the second-highest Hmong population, behind California.

The team of community specialists in Minneapolis does outreach in immigrant communities all year, but is working with more partners and intensifying efforts in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Officials believe they have created a model for future Super Bowls or other large events. Among other things, the team is broadcasting weekly radio programs in Spanish, Somali and Hmong and is contracting with others to share social media messages in Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Oromo and Lao.

The messages are being tailored to each community because while one community might believe armed guards are preventing a terror attack [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kyle-williams-jersey]Kyle Williams Jersey[/url] , another might see those same officers as an immigration raid.

”Every community has their own take on the event and their own fears and concerns and we address them by giving them the right information, telling them what’s going on,” said Rose Lindsay with the community relations unit in the Joint Information Center set up for the Super Bowl.

Yang said that even though Hmong immigrants have been in Minnesota for decades, images of the war they left behind are still fresh. Some people he’s met tell him that the armed officers remind them of the military taking over the streets of Laos. Others expressed concern about helicopters or other aircraft flying overhead, saying it reminds them of enemy aircraft.

”With some members of the Hmong community, people are really fearful that there is war,” he said.

The Hmong have also expressed fear of a terrorist attack or hate crimes, and weeks ago elders were asking families to stay away from the Super Bowl activities. Yang said his work has helped ease fears. Other team members agree.

Abdirashid Ahmed, an East African community specialist, is working to explain the Super Bowl to community leaders, faith leaders and other community members. In addition to face-to-face meetings, he’s also monitoring social media to see what the community is talking about.

After a car caught fire in a Somali neighborhood this week, many community members went to social media and asked if there was a terror attack. Ahmed said because of the infrastructure that’s been set up, officials were able to respond within minutes to let the community know it was a mechanical fire and they had nothing to worry about.

When asked if there is fear of racial profiling in a community where some members have been the subject of terror investigations, Ahmed said there is always that concern because of the current climate. But as far as it relates to the Super Bowl, ”people are not asking the same kinds of questions they were asking me a month or two months ago.”

”We have been explaining everything,” Ahmed said. ”The law enforcement agencies coming to Minneapolis … they will be here to protect everyone, not to harm.”

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With every Anthony Davis put-back dunk [url=http://www.cowboyscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-demarcus-ware-jersey]DeMarcus Ware Jersey[/url] , reverse alley-oop jam, step-back 3-pointer or game-sealing block in the playoffs, the New Orleans Pelicans take a step closer to becoming the NBA’s next small-market success story.

That didn’t quite happen with Chris Paul, who essentially forced a trade after his sixth season in the Big Easy amid concerns about uncertain ownership.

The 25-year-old Davis is now in his sixth season in New Orleans. And the five-time All-Star is not only playing historically good basketball, but seems to see no need for moving vans in order to go ring hunting.

Davis, after all, was a young fan when Reggie Miller was in the twilight of an 18-year career with Indiana that transformed the Pacers into playoff regulars – and while Tim Duncan was embarking on a long career in San Antonio highlighted by five NBA titles.

”There’s always, you know, `You can’t win in a small market or you can’t get noticed in a small market,’ but then you look at those guys and they’ve won and been well recognized in their respective teams,” Davis said, referring to Miller and Duncan. ”I love the city of New Orleans. I love playing for the city. The city’s showed me a lot of love, so I couldn’t ask for a better place to be.”

New Orleans is noticing. So, apparently, is the rest of the world.

Sharp-shooting forward Nikola Mirotic, a Montenegro native acquired by the Pelicans in a mid-season trade, said Davis already has enhanced New Orleans’ international profile because of the NBA’s global appeal.

”I know in my country, for example – or Spain [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-nick-kwiatkoski-jersey]Nick Kwiatkoski Jersey[/url] , or Serbia – they all talk about him. They all want to see him playing because of the show he puts on,” Mirotic said. ”He’s still young. There’s a lot of room for him to improve. I’m sure he’s going to be someone that everybody is going to remember in the future.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees remains New Orleans’ most popular athlete. But Davis’ rising global star power is on full display.

The Pelicans’ home arena, the Smoothie King Center, was packed to the rafters and deafeningly loud during games 3 and 4 of sixth-seeded New Orleans’ somewhat surprising first-round sweep of the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The series victory not only was New Orleans’ first since 2008, but only the second since the NBA returned 16 seasons ago to the city where the Pete Maravich-led Jazz originally played from 1974-79, before moving to Utah.

Davis averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game during the first round of the playoffs, earning him constant ”M-V-P” chants from fans – who hope this is just the start.

”We would want this to be something that changes the mindset of not just what we do here, but also of other people looking to come here,” said Pelicans forward Solomon Hill, who joined Davis as a free agent in 2016. ”From player personnel to the front office, whatever it may be, we’re trying to let everybody know that New Orleans is a place where we’re trying to win – and he’s the key piece you need.”

Sitting on the bench in street clothes and a walking boot watching Davis these days is fellow All-Star DeMarcus Cousins, who is due to become a free agent this offseason. The Pelicans have said they’ll try to re-sign Cousins, who technically is now part of his first playoff team in eight NBA seasons, but who still has yet to play in the postseason because of his Achilles tear in January.

Davis said he hopes the way the Pelicans played, and the way fans cheered, in the first round gives Cousins ”a little itch to come back.”

New Orleans hardly looked like a playoff lock in the highly competitive Western Conference after Cousins was injured. But Davis averaged an NBA-high 30.2 points during the last 34 regular season games [url=http://www.ramscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-sean-mannion-jersey]Sean Mannion Jersey[/url] , with the Pelicans going 21-13.

Unlike when Paul was in New Orleans, the Pelicans are now on sound financial footing, with the same local ownership as the NFL’s Saints. They have a modern, spacious, permanent practice facility on the same campus as Saints headquarters and a team-friendly arena lease that runs through 2024.

Davis is under contract for three more seasons.

”I know that his goal is to be the foundation of a team that wins consistently here,” coach Alvin Gentry said. ”With the talent-level that he is and the way he can make other guys better just by being on the court with them, I see no reason why that can’t happen.”

Guard Jrue Holiday, who had 33 points in Game 2 and 41 in Game 4, is under contract for four more seasons. Veteran guard Rajon Rondo, who won a title in Boston with a ”Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, said he came to New Orleans on a one-year deal to play with the ”Big Three” of Davis, Cousins and Holiday. During the playoffs, Rondo has emerged as the club’s third star, piling up 53 assists in four games.

Davis wants Rondo back next year as well, and very well may get his wish.

”We just can’t make this a one-every-three-years or one-every-two-years” playoff run, Davis said. ”It needs to be a consistent thing where before every season they’re talking about: These are the top five teams that we know are going to be in there – and we need to be one of them.”

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