JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground
HTML
<div class="btn-group-vertical" data-toggle="buttons-checkbox">
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth"><i class="icon-rss"></i> news</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth active"><i class="icon-bullhorn"></i> opinion</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth active"><i class="icon-lightbulb"></i> research</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth"><i class="icon-signal"></i> stats</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth active"><i class="icon-info-sign"></i> how to...</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth"><i class="icon-desktop"></i> platform/app</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth"><i class="icon-cloud"></i> tool</button>
<button type="button" class="btn customwidth"><i class="icon-minus-sign"></i> uncategorised</button>
</div>
<div id="result"></div>
JavaScript
$(function(){
$
//$('#result').text('result: ');
var array = [];
("button").click(function () {
$('.btn-group-vertical').find('button.active > i').map(function(){
array.push(this.className);
});
});
$('#result').text(JSON.stringify(array));
});