JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul class="color_change">
    <li>Item 1</li>
    <li>Item 2</li>
    <li>
        <ul>
            <li>sub item</li>
            <li>sub item</li>
        </ul>
    </li>
</ul>
<script>

JavaScript

$('ul.color_change').children('li').not(':has(ul)').css('color','red');