Abdoh was born in Iran and spent two years of his early childhood in England. When Abdoh was fourteen his family was forced to flee Iran and arrived in the U.S. His father died shortly after the family’s arrival in the States, leaving his children homeless in Los Angeles. After traveling the country, Abdoh eventually earned an undergraduate degree from U.C. Berkeley and received a Master’s from City College. He is currently teaching creative writing at The City College of New York.